


Korra's Anatomy

by appasarrow



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fanart, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Love Triangles, M/M, Slow Burn, Team Avatar - Freeform, Unresolved Emotional Tension, first fic, kind of like grey's anatomy but nurses, they're all nurses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:06:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 74,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28544526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/appasarrow/pseuds/appasarrow
Summary: Korra’s the new girl in Republic City, having moved from the Southern Water Tribe to pursue her dreams of becoming the best nurse ever! She’s a 25-year-old new grad, graduating later than her initial class due to some particularly traumatic setbacks. She begins her journey at Air Temple Medical Center, wide-eyed and filled with excitement, of course...until she meets the crazy, whacko team she's going to be working with.-OR-The Krew as nurses in the morning shift. Asami and Kuvira fight over Korra. Opal's the mom of the group. Bolin's the baby. Mako hates his life. Will their patients survive the shift? Find out!
Relationships: Jinora/Kai (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato, Korra/Kuvira (Avatar), Korrasami, Kuvira/Opal (Avatar), Lin Beifong/Kya II, Pema/Tenzin (Avatar), Senna/Tonraq (Avatar), Wuko - Relationship, korvira - Relationship, kuvopal - Relationship
Comments: 426
Kudos: 425





	1. New Kid On The Block

Korra took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. Today was the day- a fresh start, a new beginning. She was sitting in her blue Honda Civic, parked in the gigantic parking structure of the most innovative and biggest hospital in the world, Air Temple Medical Center. It was her first day on the job and describing her nervousness as “first time jitters” was an understatement. 

Korra was a new graduate from Southern Water Tribe University, a 25-year-old who graduated a little later than her peers who were in their earlier 20s. Sure, Korra had practiced under Katara, the founder of modern nursing herself, when the older Inuit lived in her city, but Korra still _highly_ doubted herself from time to time.

_The only reason why you got a job here anyway is because Katara’s son owns this place._

The negative feelings and self-deprecating thoughts she would tell herself were old habits she never grew out of, not after the _accident_. But the thoughts pervading the young woman’s mind were always wrong. Korra was strong-minded, witty, and she excelled in every nursing skills evaluation she had in college. She was _invited_ to be interviewed at ATMC just a couple of months after her graduation, not only because the hospital CEO was Tenzin, Katara’s son, but also because of the amount of service and hard work she provided at Water Tribe Regional Medicine in the South. She graduated summa cum laude from her class and was the talk of the town; she even made headlines in the local newspaper, “Korra Waters: patient to BSN graduate!”

With one final shaky breath leaving her lips, Korra grabbed the car door handle and opened it towards the start of another journey. 

~~~

Korra checked her black casio watch. _0655...Crap! I’m going to be late!_

Her legs suddenly sped through the hospital hallways, trying to find the nearest elevators. She spotted one just about to close. She forced her hand in between the doors and propelled herself inside. Korra’s body collided with something unexpectedly, falling to the floor and landing on her bottom with a loud thump. When she looked up, shiny, raven hair dripping with coffee and two bright, green orbs were glaring at her. 

Korra quickly got up and tried to pat the woman’s hair dry with the sweater she was carrying over her shoulders. “Oh my spirits-..I am _so_ sorry!” 

Before the woman could respond, the elevator doors opened and at the sound of the ding, the woman shoved past the Inuit aggressively, huffing and puffing out into the hallway. 

_Great. My shift hasn’t even started and I’ve already made one of the nurses mad._

When Korra finally got to her unit and put her stuff in her locker, her team was already doing their morning huddle in the conference room. She slid in quietly, but all eyes fell on her. 

The nurse manager, Lin Beifong, who had interviewed her earlier in the week, cleared her throat, “Everyone, this is the new member of our dayshift team, Miss Korra Waters. She’s a new grad and will be following around one of you for the next month before having her own patients to take care of.”

“Hi Korra!” A thickly built man with shining green eyes belted across the room. “My name’s Bolin! Can’t wait to work with you.” Her kind of reminded her of a big polar bear, not that she'd ever tell him.

Korra gave him a smile, waving towards his direction. Lin finished her announcements and the team left the room to do their morning rounds.

The charge nurse, who Korra knew by the name of Kya from Katara’s stories, walked up to her, “You’re going to be following and shadowing Kuvira Unidad. I know Miss Lin said you won’t have any patients until you get the feel for this hospital, but whoever Kuvira’s patients are, are also going to be yours today. Clear?”

Korra nodded quickly, “As crystal! Which one’s Kuv-”

Suddenly, a woman wearing dark green scrubs walked into the room. Her hair was tied up behind her in a fishtail braid, a whiff of pride and charisma enveloped her. The woman's sculpted jawline, thick but neatly shaped eyebrows, and perfect skin made her even more alluring. Her presence instantly intimidated the young nurse. Korra watched in awe at the power her steps carried as she strode towards her.

A raspy, yet smooth voice echoed through the room, “ _I’m_ Kuvira.” The woman locked eyes with her.

Korra met the woman’s juniper green eyes and she stuck out her hand, “Nice to meet you, I’m Korra.” She tried giving Kuvira a smile, but failed when she saw the hint of carelessness in her face.

Kuvira’s eyes darted away from Korra’s to her held out hand. She scoffed and turned around, walking out of the room. Ignoring the Inuit's introduction, she said, “We have lots to do today, New Kid.” 

Kya shook her head in fake disapproval as she called out to the woman, “Play nice, Kuvira!”

Korra sighed. Today was going to be a long day, for sure.

When Korra finally caught up with Kuvira, she was talking to an older woman who was laying in her bed, blanket covering her entire body. 

“Alright, Ms. Jonesie, I’ll catch up with you later.” Kuvira walked out of the room, gelled out, and moved past Korra.

_She walks way too fast...for no damn reason._

The Inuit tried catching up with her again. Curiosity in her mind, she asked, “Who was that? What’s her situation?”

Kuvira stopped in her tracks. “Madelyn Jonesie. 83 years old, gravely disabled, total care." The older nurse turned over to Korra. "That reminds me, I want you to change her, she had a bowel movement 10 minutes ago. Everything is soaked," She said matter-of-factly.

“Okay, I’ll do that. What’re we doing afte-”

“Oh! Bed 6 needed to be on a bedpan about...5 minutes ago. So, you should do that first if you want. Bed 8 also wants a bed bath before lunch today-" She thought for a second "-aaand 15 has to be at CT by 9:30.”

Korra started scribbling down some notes on her new clipboard. As soon as she looked up, the older nurse was nowhere to be seen. She groaned in annoyance. “Wait..who needed to be on the bedpan?”

~~~

Following Kuvira around the entire first half of the day was _exhausting._ Korra knew nursing was one of the toughest professions ever, but she didn’t imagine it to be _whatever this was._ When she was under Katara’s wing, everything felt fluid, like she was meant to be a nurse. Katara would give her her assignments, she would do them, then whenever they had a break, the two Inuits would talk about disease processes and how to handle dire situations caused by said diseases. Katara taught her how to care with compassion, to show kindness and empathy. With Kuvira, they barely even said a word to one another.

Korra rolled her eyes. _Kuvira doesn't know what kindness is._ She slumped in a chair in the breakroom, putting her face in her hands.

After a moment, she looked up and was startled to see a man with bright green eyes staring right at her, the same man that had greeted her in the huddle that morning. Korra jumped from her seat, “U-uh, hi?”

“KORRA WATERS! I’ve heard _so_ much about you! All good things, of course,” Bolin boomed. Noticing the Inuit’s tired expression, he changed his tone to a much calmer one. “Hey, you okay? Tough day, I’m guessing?”

Korra filled him in on the things Kuvira had made her do. “And on top of that, she had me change Ms. Jonesie 3 times by myself in the past hour! I haven’t passed meds, I don’t even know how to work this unit’s pyxis! I definitely still don’t know where CT or X-ray or MRI are. And don't get me started on how Kuvira _stares at me_ like I'm some kind of useless idiot!"

Bolin chuckled, “One, passing meds is easy. Two, the pyxis is also easy to use. Three, they’re all on the second floor. And yup, that’s Kuvira for ya. She’s known to make the CNAs and nursing attendants do all the dirty work for her.”

The woman dropped her head on the table. The coldness of the glass made her hot head feel slightly refreshed. “I don’t want to do CNA work, I want to do _nursing_ stuff. She wouldn’t even let me start an IV.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll let you poke one of my patients. The smell of desperation does _not_ suit you, Korra Waters.”

Blue eyes glared at Bolin, but she managed to let out a lopsided grin, “THANK YOU!”

“Aaaanyway, we’re going to order tacos for lunch, do you wan-”

Suddenly, the break room door swung open, causing the two nurses to jump. 

“ _Shit!_ What is it with nurses and scaring people..” Korra mumbled, her face instantaneously dropping when she saw who came in. 

Long legs covered by dark green scrub pants strutted in front of them. “Did I hear _whining_ on _my_ unit? From _my_ orientee?” 

Bolin gulped loudly. He stammered, “I was just going to let Korra here poke Mr. Rufus later…I mean, if, uh, that’s cool with you, Kuv.” 

“You will _not_ do such a thing, Bo. Korra is my responsibility and I wouldn’t want her messing up a skill like that on one of your patients. She’s a newbie. If she fucks up, I’ll be to blame.”

At this remark, Korra got up and slammed a fist on the table, “That’s it! You think you’re such a hotshot, Kuvira?" The other woman's were staring straight at her now. _Oh, crap, there's no going back._ "I did all your dirty work this entire day and not once have you given me any respect or allowed me to show you what I can do! Kya can force me to follow you around today, but I will _not_ let you talk about me and my skills like that!”

Unmoved, Kuvira scoffed, “You think I’m giving you my _dirty_ work? You think I didn’t start out moving and cleaning patients? News flash, Korra, each one of us did exactly what you’re doing now. You’re not special. Me, Kya, the other nurses, heck even Bolin, are your _superiors._ You do as we say so you don’t kill our patients. Got it?”

Korra gritted her teeth and nodded. Without looking back, she walked out of the breakroom. How dare Kuvira speak to her like some insolent child? Sure, she was the new kid on the block, but she trained and studied so hard to be where she was now! All of the hours spent in clinical and in the hospital back home should give her some respect. It wasn't fair that the older nurse disrespected her passion, belittled her degree and experience.

Bolin blinked, “So...I’m guessing she doesn’t want any tacos..Do yo-”

Kuvira faced the man, eye-to-eye. Bolin shivered in fear, gulping loudly once again. She flicked Bolin on the nose and left without saying another word. 

~~~

Korra paced back and forth around the nurses’ station, trying to calm her anger. As she continued to pace, her anger melted into guilt. It had been about an hour after her argument with Kuvira and she had been trying to avoid her the rest of time. Good thing the older nurse hadn’t looked for her. 

_Did I really just yell at one of my superiors? Ugh, I’m getting fired, I know it. Kuvira’s gonna tell Kya and then she’ll tell Lin, maybe even Tenzin. Katara’s going to be so disappointed. But dammit, Kuvira was right. What gives me the right to be complaining? This job is a fucking dream and I might’ve just messed it all up._

A small hand reached for her shoulder and stopped her. “Woaaah there! If you keep at it, you’ll make a hole on the floor and you don’t want that, right? We just got new tiles.” She pouted.

Warm green eyes met hers. “I’m Opal! You’re Korra, right? Kuvira’s giving you a hard time, huh? I can see it in your eyes, you know." She laughed. "It’s the same with all of the CNAs and NAs on this unit. A mixture of ‘I’m scared’ and ‘I hate it here’.”

The Inuit sighed, “Yeah...I kind of...yelled at her? Now I’m realizing she’s right. I shouldn’t have been complaining.”

To her surprise, Opal laughed. “You _yelled_ at the Great Uniter of 6 South. That’s _hilarious!_ You got balls, kid.”

Korra pouted, “I’m getting fired, aren’t I?”

Kya, who was sitting with her feet up on the computer table, joined in the laughter, “Don’t sweat it. Kuvira can be a pain in the ass, but she’s a damn good nurse. You’ll learn a lot from her, that’s why I paired you two up.”

Suddenly, there was yelling heard in the back hallway of the unit, loud thumps concerned the nurses. Without thinking, Korra ran towards the noise, Kya and Opal looked at each other in surprise. When she got to the room, Ms. Jonesie was yelling at the CNA who Korra knew was Jinora, Tenzin’s daughter. Katara had said something about Tenzin wanting Jinora to see how rewarding it was to be in the medical field before changing her major to art. Korra guessed that the younger girl was forced to go through nursing school, but really had more of a passion for the arts.

Korra was brought back to reality when the old woman started throwing a pitcher of water at the young girl. “I don’t want her anywhere near me! I want the blue eyed nurse to take care of me, not _her!”_ She turned towards the door and at the sight of Korra, her mood instantly changed and a giant smile formed on her face. By now, the other nurses were flocking towards the room, curious to see what all the commotion was about on this particularly slow day. 

Korra gently walked Jinora away from the bed, then turned to face the older woman. “Ms. Jonesie, what’s goin’ on?” 

“This girl doesn’t know what the heck she’s doing! She moved all of my belongings away and I couldn’t reach any of them!" She glared deathly at Jinora. "How am I supposed to get my dentures if they’re across the damn room! I don’t want any nurse in my room except you.” The old lady pointed straight at Korra.

Korra turned to Jinora who shrugged anxiously. “I was only trying to clean up her area and then she started throwing things at me..I swear I was going to put everything back..” A hint of anxiety began showing on the girl’s face and Korra was sympathetic. She knew what it felt like to be the inexperienced one in this situation and wanted the girl to not feel like she did anything wrong.

The young nurse nodded understandingly and asked Jinora to fetch her another pitcher of water, just so Jinora could have some space to calm down and catch her breath. “Ms. Jonesie, I’ll help you out all day today, okay? But you can’t be throwing stuff at our staff like that, they’re only trying to take care of you, especially Jinora”

A hint of guilt was plastered on Ms. Jonesie’s face. Her tone turned soft when she said, “I know. Tell the girl I’m sorry. It’s just that you’re the only one who listened and tried to get me comfortable the entire time I’ve been in this room. I can tell you’re new here, but I already know you’re gonna be the best nurse on this unit!” 

With that Kuvira intercepted the situation and the other nurses dispersed away from the scene, leaving her with Korra. The Great Uniter gave a small nod to Korra as if to apologize for what had happened in the break room and the Inuit nodded back before leaving the room. 

The rest of the day went better for Korra. After the scene with Ms. Jonesie, she seemed to have gotten more respect from the other nurses. Kuvira even taught her how to use the pyxis and allowed her to pass the 4 pm meds. All of her patients had talked her up to the other nurses whenever they would pass by or come into their rooms, which boosted up her confidence even more. The nervousness from the morning transformed into comfortability and a bit of confidence.

After making her final rounds and saying goodbye to her patients, Korra decided to walk to the nurses’ station to gather her belongings. 

“Yup, that’s my orientee, alright. The patients love her, absolutely admire her. And you know who she got all that from? That’s right, _me._ She’s gonna go places, I can already tell.” 

Korra walked in, surprised by the praises Kuvira had shared about her to their other coworkers.

Opal and Bolin both nodded in agreement. Opal chuckled, “Buuuut, you weren’t saying that this morning when you were complaining about training a newbie.”

Bolin added, “Yea, weren’t you the one who said you didn’t want to hold a lost puppy by the leash the entire day today?”

Mako smirked, “Speaking of the lost puppy.”

The crew turned around to see Korra standing there, stunned. “Uh, hey, guys.” She awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck, feeling the flushing coming up to her cheeks.

Kuvira walked to Korra, motioning for her to follow her down the hallway. The older nurse stopped just in front of the break room.

She sighed, “Look, I’m sorry for all that shit I said earlier about being your superior and whatnot. Truth is, yeah, I’ve been working here for a cool minute and even prior to being a nurse, I still ate, breathed, talked about medicine nonstop...but I didn’t get to where I am now without the help of older nurses.” 

Korra smiled, waiting for the other woman to continue. Kuvira finally met her ocean eyes. “The patients do really admire you and I can see why. You listen to them, like _really_ listen. To put it simply, you’re _genuine_ and they can sense that. A lot of nurses lose their empathy after years of working, heck, sometimes I can’t even find it in me, but you’re different.” The woman chuckled, “I might’ve given you a hell of a lot of tasks today but you prioritized each one of our patients to the best of your abilities. That’s something you learn later on, but you got that down early. You have my respect, new kid.” 

Korra couldn’t contain her smile. Coming from Kuvira, who seemed like the type to never give out any sort of approval to anyone, this felt like a life accomplishment. She pulled the other woman into a tight hug and quickly let her go after realizing who she was still talking to, the queen bee of 6 South. “I-uh, sorry. I got carried away. Uh, thank you for, uh, what you said.” She sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck again. Something about Kuvira made her feel so flustered to be near her.

Kuvira playfully hit her on the shoulder, “I get it. Now go, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Korra gave her one last smile before entering the break room. To her surprise, Kuvira was grinning right back at her. 

Korra walked out of the hospital alone. She looked back to the enormous building before entering the parking structure, taking in the view of the expansive medical center that would become her new home away from home. Air Temple Medical Center was breathtaking. The hospital itself sat alone on the side of Air Temple Island, overlooking Yue Bay and Republic City. The only inhabitants on the island were Tenzin’s family and their spacious home sat across from the hospital, on the other side of the great island.

The island was beautiful, filled with scenic views that could definitely cure the soul. To get to the city, the staff had to cross the bridge that connected the island to Republic City. The drive wasn’t as hectic as Korra thought it would be and there was hardly any traffic, but that was because only a selected few were invited to work for the hospital.

The new nurse couldn’t believe that she was one those special people selected. She couldn’t believe the day she had, which felt like a neverending rollercoaster ride. She was thankful in the end. Her new life started out as a crazy, bumpy ride, but she knew that life was never smooth sailing. The bumps in the road were lessons to be learned, obstacles that were inevitable.

As she got a glimpse of her car, she saw three figures surrounding the front of her vehicle. Korra ran towards them, pepper spray in hand, thinking they were robbers of some sort trying to get into her newly bought car. She halted when she noticed that the figures that looked menacing from afar were only Opal, Mako, and Bolin.

Bolin grinned, “Korra! Hey! I know Kuv gave you a hard time today, so we’re here to cheer you up!” He waved for the woman to come closer to the group.

Opal motioned for her to look at each of their arms. “Bo told us Kuv wouldn’t let you stick the patients, so we thought you could practice on us!” Tourniquets were gently wrapped around all of their arms and each nurse was holding a needle. 

Mako rubbed his temple, “This can’t be a great idea, but what was that saying? ‘If all of your friends jumped off a cliff, you should too’...right?”

  
All four of them laughed. Korra could feel the tears welling in her eyes, warmth bubbling in her abdomen. She was home and she was _more than thankful._


	2. We're A Team!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited to share with ya'll another chapter, eeeep!! Thank you for your comments, they kept me entertained at work the other day haha One thing I do want to clear up is that they are all roughly around the same age. Asami and Kuvira had both graduated nursing school about three years ago, now 25 years-old. Bolin and Opal are the youngest of the group, graduating at the same time and both 24 year-olds. Mako is the oldest at 27. 
> 
> Again, I love your comments, please tell me how ya'll feel <3

Tightening her grip on the straps of her backpack, Korra rushed towards the bus stop at the end of the street. It had been a week since her first day at ATMC, a week since she had driven herself to work. It wasn’t like Korra didn’t enjoy driving her brand new car, that her parents totally _didn’t_ force her to buy, it was that whenever she was behind the wheel, the same anxiety she felt all those years ago slowly came back to her. She’d feel a panic attack coming along after sitting in the driver’s seat for a few minutes, so the young nurse thought it would be best to stick to public transportation before she got into another traumatic accident.

The problem was that she had to wake up three hours earlier than usual in order to catch the only bus that headed towards Air Temple Island, and the Inuit _hated_ early mornings. The stop was a two mile walk from the apartment complex she was staying at, but Korra didn’t mind because she saw it as another opportunity to get her legs working before work. The ride to work, usually a 20 minute drive in a car, now took an hour. 

Once Korra _finally_ got to work, it was already 0620 and she had 40 minutes before she had to be in the conference room for the team’s morning huddle. She came to realize just how much she truly loved her team the moment her first day was over. Opal, Bolin, Mako, and even Kuvira became her friends. Opal would give her _useful_ tips that only Opal would consider _life changing_ , like how to be extra nice to the nutritionists who would bring in the meal trays so that they start to like you and bring you free snacks from time to time. As for Bolin, he would make her day brighter whenever Mako would say something depressing, and that happened more often than you’d think.

The same Kuvira who kicked her ass on the first day was much nicer now...well, to her at least. To others, she was still the woman with the resting bitch face no one dared to cross. Kuvira would purposely take her breaks with her and the two nurses would talk about whatever was on their minds. Their conversations started to feel natural, more fluid, and Korra felt more at home on the unit she was so nervous to be in.

Korra walked into the break room, put her stuff in her locker, and sat down at the table to prepare for her shift. Kya would be giving her a new nurse to follow today and a small part of her would miss being around Kuvira, not that she would admit it. 

The break room door swung open and in the corner of her eyes, she saw familiar dark green scrubs. Thinking it was Kuvira, the Inuit grinned to herself and greeted her friend, “Good mornin’! You won’t be seeing me a lot toda-” Korra’s face fell when she realized that the green eyes she was looking into were much lighter and the brown hair that was so familiar to her, was jet black instead. The younger nurse blinked, “S-sorry, I thought you were..”

The woman crossed her arms, her face expression even more serious than what would have been Kuvira’s. “Aren’t you the girl who _literally_ bumped into me last week?” She seemed to search through Korra’s blue eyes. “That’s right, you got coffee all over me!”

Korra tried to look anywhere else that wasn’t the jade eyes staring daggers into her skull. Her own eyes landed on the woman’s badge. _Asami Sato._ Korra gulped, “I’m so sorry, Miss Asami. I was late and I ran into the first elevator I saw and it was my first day. I definitely would’ve been fired if I was late on the first day but I shoved into you and your coffee and...I’m definitely rambling now.” She could feel her face flush at her own embarrassment. 

Asami rolled her eyes and set her backpack on the table. She mumbled, “Figures. You’re new.” She faced the flustered woman again, her stoic expression remained unchanged. “Don’t sweat it.” 

The younger nurse felt so much more intimidated with this nurse compared to when she first met the others. Where had she heard her name before? _Sato..Asami Sato..I don’t know._ Korra tried to make a mental note of the woman’s seemingly familiar name before leaving the room. She awkwardly waved goodbye, to which the other woman had ignored, and headed out of the door.

When she got to the conference room, her team was already sitting around Kya. Shocked, she saw Asami sitting in the back of the room, away from the team. _How..did she get here faster than me? I just saw her in the break room! She’s fucking batman._

Kya cleared her throat, “Okay, team. Jargala called off today because according to her, she's ‘too sick to function’. I think it’s the flu or something, so remember to wash your hands frequently. I don’t need another one of my nurses missing a shift.”

Kuvira muttered silently, “Sure, she’s sick. I bet she got drunk last night and had a killer hangover.” To this, Bolin and Mako snickered. Kuvira hated Jargala and had something to say about her everytime she was mentioned. For what reason, no one knew. 

Kya continued, “So, I’ve stolen Miss Sato from 7 North to help us today. Now, I know Asami is from the oncology unit, but she did start on ours all those years ago. I have no doubt she still remembers where everything is.” 

The room became silent once the group realized Asami had been in the room behind them all along. Korra noticed Kuvira staring deathly at the paper in front of her as if trying to burn a hole into the poor piece. _What’s that about? Not a fan of Asami Sato?_

The charge nurse broke the silence, “I want you all on your best behaviors today as we welcome Miss Sato to our team.” She changed her attention to Korra, “Miss Waters, you’ll be with Opal this week. Remember, her patients are yours.”

The team dispersed out of the room, behind her were both Kuvira and Asami. Kuvira had tried leaving through the other door, but cursed when it was locked, leaving her to walk right beside the new team member. Korra could instantly feel the tension between the two women and she was dying to know why.

~~~

The shift was inexplicably _slow_. Her and Opal’s patients were all asleep, so it was smooth sailing until the afternoon meds were up. The two nurses sat alone inside the left hallway’s nurses’ station and Korra thought this would be a perfect opportunity to ask the more experienced nurse about Asami and Kuvira. 

“So, Asami Sato, huh? Looks like everyone’s scared of her. I wonder why.”

Opal looked away from her computer screen and turned her attention to Korra, “You thought Kuvira was a bitch, Asami makes her look like a teddy bear. Trust me, if you see Asami, _run!”_

“She can’t be that bad, right?”

“Kuvira might be the queen bee of 6 South, but Asami’s the queen of this hospital. Forget Tenzin and Jinora. No offence to them, I love them, they’re great people.” Opal continued, “She knows this hospital like the back of her hand. She volunteered here when she was younger, interned when she was in nursing school, then was hired right off the bat after graduation. This hospital is literally her life. Tenzin _adores_ her. Shit, everyone does. She’s been nurse of the month ever since she started officially working here, and that was like...three years ago.”

“I don’t think she’s as bad as you say she is. I, uh, actually spilled coffee on her head my first day. I never saw her again until today and I _think_ she accepted my apology this morning?”

Opal was now in hysterics. “You..spilled coffee...on Little Miss Perfect’s _perfect_ hair?! Korra, you’re a fucking legend! I can’t believe she didn’t cut your head off and feed you to the lion turtles!” Opal finally calmed herself down after what felt like forever to Korra, “Anyway, the deal with her is that her mom passed away on 7 North when she was a kid. Her family’s like, _billionaire_ rich. Asami’s dad donated a bunch of money to this hospital and all that. My mom’s friends with her dad, so I kinda know her. I used to have playdates with her when I was a kid, back when she wasn’t so mean.”

That’s where Korra had heard of the name Sato before. A long time ago, she had read in the newspaper about the thousands of dollars the Satos had donated to Katara’s cause. She never cared to ask why a billionaire would do such a thing, but hearing Opal’s story made her empathetic towards the young Sato’s situation. 

The Inuit’s face became bright red as she realized that she had embarrassed herself in front of _the_ nurse of the month, in front of a _Sato._

Mako saw the two chatting and decided to join in. “Opal, I think you broke the new kid.”

“We were just talking about Sato. Wait, didn’t you date her?”

Korra was shocked, did Opal say Mako had _dated_ Asami? The beautiful, elegant, “bitchy” Asami that seemed like all the nurses feared?

Mako sighed, “We dated in college. I graduated two years earlier than her and it just didn’t work out. Something in her kinda changed and she became really fucking cold and bitchy.”

Kuvira was now in the conversation, “Bitchy? Are you fuckers talking about me again? Say it to my face, Sharky!”

Before Mako could protest, Opal started, “Hey, Kuv, weren’t you like...besties with Miss Perfect at one point?”

Kuvira’s expression suddenly changed into a serious one. Her green eyes had become darker and the mood of the conversation had changed with a snap of a finger. “I don’t want to talk about it.” The Unidad walked away without another word, looking uncomfortable and annoyed.

_What was that all about?_

Bolin saw the group congregating together and in fear of missing out on the shenanigans, he chimed in, too. “I heard Sato passed her TEAS test without missing any questions.”

Opal nodded, “I heard she grabbed the doctor’s stethoscope and tried it on right after elegantly _exiting_ the womb. Legend says, that’s the same stethoscope she uses now.”

~~~

By lunchtime, Korra had forgotten all about the raven haired woman. It seemed as if Asami had kept to herself the entire day, only asking either Bolin or Opal to co-sign for her when she was passing meds, and ignoring and avoiding everybody else. The team had decided to eat lunch together in the cafeteria for the first time.

Bolin slurped on his seaweed noodles, his face showing content and satisfaction. Korra said, “You know, Bolin, my mom makes the best seaweed noodles, way better than what they have here!”

“Really, Korra!? You should invite us over sometime. I’d love to eat- I mean, meet your mom!”

The Inuit smiled, remembering how much she missed her mother who was thousands of miles away. “I’m actually living with a family friend right now on Lemur Street. My parents are back in the South.”

Opal gasped, “Lemur Street?! Korra, that’s literally the most boring neighborhood in Republic City! A bunch of old people live there.” An idea popped into the young Beifong’s mind and her eyes grew big, “I know, why don’t you move in with me!”

Korra blinked, “No, no, I wouldn’t want to put my home situation onto you like that, Opal.”

“Are you kidding!? It would be _so_ much fun! I’ve been trying to find roommates for weeks, but all of the applications I’ve gotten have been from creepy guys or old dudes; and I am _not_ about to have an old man die of a heart attack in my precious apartment.”

Bolin slammed his utensils on the table, startling everyone, “If Korra doesn’t move in, can I?!”

Opal squealed with excitement, “Oh my gosh, of course! I’d literally take both of you in! I’ve got three bedrooms and three bathrooms. This is _literally_ perfect!”

Mako protested, “Bo, you’re moving out?! Why?! Y-you’re my brother, we’ve been living together for _years_ and all of a sudden, you want to leave, just like that!?”

“Mako, I love you and all, but I’m _so_ tired of hearing you and Wu do _things_ in your bedroom all night. I can...seriously hear... _everything._ ” He fake gagged and dramatically made a disgusted facial expression.

Kuvira dropped her plate on the table, “That’s disgusting.”

The two brothers continued to bicker, Mako trying to convince his younger brother to stay and Bolin giving him a list of reasons why he shouldn’t.

Korra thought about Opal’s offer for a moment. The Beifong had mentioned living on Avatar Street earlier in the day, which she had learned was way closer to the bus stop and even closer to all of the city's fun downtown. She did want to try out that bar in the plaza, plus the gym was a block away from Opal’s. She finally interrupted the group’s squabbling, “Opal, you got yourself a roommate!”

Bolin clapped his hands together, ignoring his older brother, “Make that two!”

Kuvira joked, “You’ve barely known Waters for, like, half a day and now you’re letting her move in. If she kills you in your sleep, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Opal laughed, “I trust Korra way more than I trust old ass Mr. Pacheco. His application was definitely the creepiest. It said he was a rapper from Ba Sing Se. What’s a 75 year-old rapper doing in Republic City, trying to live in a 24 year-old’s apartment?”

After a few more minutes of joking around and talking about how excited they all were about moving in together, the group decided it was time to go back to their unit. Bolin and Mako were the first to leave and as Opal was about to head out too, Asami had walked past their table. 

Opal looked at Kuvira who was shaking her head as if she knew Opal was going to try to get the two to talk. Opal smiled devilishly and waved Asami down, “Hey, Sato!”

The woman turned around at the sound of her name and Korra swore it was in slow motion. Asami’s hair flew from her shoulders to her back in cascading waves of gorgeous black. Korra must have been staring for a while because when Opal cleared her throat, Asami was already at their table, staring right back at the Inuit. Opal’s voice brought her back to reality, “Hey, Asami, getting lunch?”

Asami nodded, “Yep. Held down the fort while you all were down here.” Korra could hear a hint of bitterness in the woman’s voice. 

Kuvira scoffed, her arms crossed and looking intently away from the woman in front of her. Korra tried cutting through the awkwardness, “Uh, thanks, ‘Sami. Come to think of it, we probably shouldn’t have all left you alone up there. Especially not with Ms. Jonesie.”

Kuvira rolled her eyes, “Today’s a slow day anyway. No one died, right? Little Miss Perfect can handle it.”

Korra could feel the unresolved tension in the air between the two nurses, who were now staring lasers into each other's skulls. To her relief, Opal had gotten in between them, realizing it was a bad idea to bring the two together, and was now pulling Kuvira up to leave. “Well, it was nice talking to ya. We’ll see you up there. Come on, Kuv, Korra.” Opal and Kuvira walked towards the elevators across the cafeteria, Kuvira still staring deadly at Asami. 

Korra called out to them, deciding to still try to make conversation with Asami, “I’ll catch up with you two!” She glanced back at the other jade eyed woman, “So, uh, thanks again.” 

Asami sighed and her stiff expression didn’t leave her face. “Sure. I know you all think I’m such a bitch.”

“What? No, we don’t...” Korra remembered the terms the others described Asami, which were definitely _bitchy, cold, mean,_ and other words her mom would yell at her for if they ever left her lips. “Well, I mean, _I_ don’t.”

Asami’s red lips curved upwards slightly and Korra felt her heart melt. “Thanks.” She crossed her arms again. “Every time I walk towards the others, they all disperse like I’m the plague. They think I think I own this place, but can you blame me? I’ve been here longer than any of them, really.” 

“I guess maybe they’re just intimidated by you. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t.” 

“I don’t scare you?” 

Korra chuckled, “No, not at all. In fact, I think you’re pretty cool! I heard from Opal that you’ve been the nurse of the month for forever. That takes some dedication.”

Asami rolled her eyes, “So, you guys _have_ been talking about me..”

The younger nurse gulped, “N-no! I-..y-yes. I’ve just been asking about you. If you’re gonna blame any one, it should be me.” She held her hands up, as if she’d been caught doing something bad. “I keep making them talk about you. I’m guilty.”

To Korra’s surprise, the older nurse was smiling at her smugly, “Asking about me, huh? Well, if you wanted to get to know me, you could’ve asked me yourself.”

Korra’s cheek turned pink. Was _the_ Asami Sato flirting with her? Her trail of thought was cut short when she saw Kuvira returning to the table, eyes continuing to glare up at Asami. 

“Korra, you coming or what?” Kuvira’s hand rested on her own. 

Suddenly, the air became thick again. Asami’s calmer demeanor was replaced with an annoyance. To stop another intense staredown from happening, Korra held onto Kuvira’s hand and said, “Yeah, I’m coming.” She looked at Asami one last time before walking with Kuvira, “I’ll see you up there.” The heiress nodded simply and walked towards the vending machines. 

~~~

Kuvira didn’t realize that Korra was still tightly holding onto her hand as they walked down the hallway towards 6 South. She felt heat rising to her cheeks, trying to avoid eye contact with the other woman and staring intently forward. 

After a while, Korra let go of her hand. The Inuit decided to put on her brave face and ask, “So...you and Asami? What’s going on there?”

Kuvira stiffened. She didn’t want Korra to get in the middle of her unresolved feud with Sato. She sighed and spat, "Look, that’s a grave I’m not willing to dig up, not with _you_ , not now, not ever.” Kuvira realized how aggressive she must’ve sounded and gave herself a mental slap in the face. She had promised herself to be nicer to the new kid.

“I’m sorry for asking...I realize it’s probably a heavy subject and I’m over here stepping over all of these boundaries.”

Kuvira noticed the guilt pervading the younger nurse’s face and her tone softened. Something about Korra made her _want_ to soften up. “Me and Asami, we had a falling out. We were best friends in college, went through nursing school together, studied together all the time.” She paused, trying to figure out what to say. “We just had a falling out, that’s all, okay? We never talked about it; I guess that’s why I’ve been weird around her. I don’t think it’s something either one of us want to discuss.” 

After a moment, Korra nodded. “I understand. Thank you for sharing all that with me, it must’ve been hard for you.”

“Of course, thanks for listening.” She smiled at Korra. “You know, it’s so easy to talk to you. I’m spilling all of my secrets and I’ve only known you for a week. Guess Opal’s not as weird to trust you, too.”

Korra chuckled, “I guess I have that effect on people.”

Kuvira stole another glance at the younger nurse, who was smiling back at her. This was the first time Kuvira could see the woman before her in full. Korra had on a tight light blue scrub top that showed the curviness of her body. Her matching scrub pants were like joggers that perfectly hugged her ass. A lopsided grin was plastered on her face and Kuvira swore she was drowning in the Inuit’s deep, blue ocean eyes. Her skin reminded her of honey, liquid gold she wanted to taste... _Wait, what?_

Kuvira blinked twice and Korra was already walking into the double doors of the unit, waving for her to follow. The tension she was once holding onto dissipated and a small, genuine smile appeared on her lips, “Huh...I guess you do.” 

~~~

The rest of the day was as quiet as the first half. To Kuvira’s relief, her patients hadn’t given her any struggling tasks. She gathered her clipboard and was ready to give her reports to the night shift nurse thirty minutes before the shift was going to end. She absentmindedly began doodling on an extra piece of paper with the blue color of her multicolored pen. Her thoughts began to wander to the lopsided grin she had been thinking about all day. Caramel skin and the warm smell of vanilla seemed to be engraved in her memory and all she wanted was to see the woman in full again. _Too bad she was with Opal the entire day._

Kuvira lightly slapped herself on the face. What was she thinking? She was Kuvira Unidad, she didn’t have any _crushes._ She looked down at the paper she had been scribbling on and quickly crumbled it, hoping no one saw. She sat in solace realizing that she was the only one around to have seen the drawing of a pair of eyes that definitely mimicked the eyes of the woman she was dreaming about. 

Luckily, Kya stopped her from the internal suffering she was feeling, the feeling of having a high school crush all over again. “Kuvira, we’re going to do one last huddle before the shift ends.” The other woman nodded and followed her superior to the conference room. 

There, the rest of the crew were already sitting together. Kuvira’s eyes laid on the friendly blues that she was so accustomed to. Korra smiled and motioned for the woman to sit beside her. 

Once everyone was seated, Kya shuffled her papers around and began her speech. “Good job today, folks. The day was easy and quiet and the only reason why is because all of you are on top of it!” She looked towards Asami, who was in a corner by herself. “Let’s thank Miss Asami for her contributions today. It certainly was easier compared to other days because of her.” A round of half-assed applause and “thank you’s” were given to the jade-eyed woman. 

“I called you all here to not only say good job today, but to share some exciting news!” To this, the group began to cheer. 

Opal excitedly clapped her hands together, “We’re getting a new EKG machine?!”

“I hope it’s a new vein finder!” Bolin exclaimed. 

“If it isn’t more paid time off, I’d be really disappointed,” Kuvira added. 

Kya laughed at her team’s fresh enthusiasm. “No, even better! Miss Asami will _officially_ be joining the dayshift team of 6 South!” The group’s faces instantly fell. Opal adjusted herself in her seat and sighed. Bolin looked at Mako worriedly. The CNAs seemed to be indifferent to the news. Kuvira cursed under her breath, getting attention from Korra, who seemed to be the only one happy with the news. 

Kya continued, “Someone anonymously showed me pictures of Miss Jargala partying it up in the upper ring of Ba Sing Se. This was her third strike after the other two times she had called off and lied to me. We do _not_ tolerate behavior like this at ATMC, so as of today, we have terminated her from her position here.”

Bolin and Mako looked at Kuvira. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, as if to notify them that she wasn’t the one who got Jargala fired. 

“I spoke with the manager at 7 North and since they have more than enough staff members up there, they have agreed to let us _borrow_ Miss Asami until we find a replacement for Jargala. I hope you all are as excited as I am to be working with Miss Asami!” 

Kuvira couldn’t believe the news. After avoiding Asami for years while still working in the same hospital together, her ex-best friend was now going to be working on her home unit. They were going to be _co-workers. Team members._ She cursed life for forcing the two together again, after three years of no interactions, after three years of unsettled conflict. 


	3. Curveball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was going to update last night, but i finally got the second dose of the covid-19 vax and it hit me like a truck. i ended up sleeping the entire day ): anyway, to apologize for the lack of activity, i decided to draw what korvirasami would look like in scrubs! 
> 
> this chapter's kind of *crazy*, but enjoyyyy the ride! also, wear your masks, people!

The early morning sun escaped through the gray curtains that covered Asami’s floor to ceiling windows. She rolled out of bed, wanting to get ready for the day. It was 8 in the morning and even though it was her day off, she had already planned her day the night before. Grabbing the to-do list she created off of her night stand, Asami went into her walk-in closet in search of clothes to wear.

That’s who Asami Sato was. She was a planner, she liked knowing what to expect. She liked being prepared. The 25 year-old woman had prepped her day the night prior ever since she could read and write. 

She put on a baggy maroon t-shirt with its sleeves rolled up, pairing it with black ripped jeans. To complete the look, she tied the shirt shorter and put on her white Air Force 1s. She put the strap of her red Gucci Marmont handbag on her shoulder and headed out of her condo. The first thing on her list was to hit up the Saturday market in the plaza, a couple of blocks away from her home. 

As she walked down the busy streets of downtown Republic City, Asami’s thoughts began to wander to the last few days. She had moved from her home unit on the 7th floor into 6 South, the unit where her nursing journey initially began all of those years ago. 

When Asami’s mother was sick, she would spend days and even nights on the oncology unit. There, she had fallen in love with the nurses who she saw were heroes in scrubs. At the age of just 12 years-old, her mother had passed away after battling cancer for what felt like forever to the child. Asami had promised her that she would be just like the heroes who had helped provide them with comfort and care. So, when she was able to finally volunteer at Air Temple Medical Center, Asami took the first position that was opened on 6 South. Even when she got into nursing school, Kya had asked Asami to get her CNA license so that the girl could finally be paid for the amount of restless hours and effort she had put working on the unit, not that Asami needed the money. The heiress had told the older Inuit, “I’m not doing this for the pay. I want to be a nurse to save the lives that I’ve lost.” 

Asami smiled as she remembered what an ambitious and passionate student she once was. She was still the same determined kid, but she knew that something in her changed after graduation, after her father had kicked her out of their family home, after Kuvira had left her to deal with the many problems she caused all alone. She frowned at her thoughts and forced herself to shake them away. Today was going to be a good day and she did not want to think about the ex-best friend she hated so much.

~~

After browsing around a number of stalls, Asami found the stand she was so excited to shop at. The owner of the flower stall, Uncle Iroh, was sipping his tea the way he did every morning. 

“Miss Sato! I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Asami gave the old man a small smile, “Hey, Uncle Iroh. Sorry I haven’t come around. I’ve been working so much.” 

Uncle Iroh handed the nurse a cup of tea, one that he prepared every Saturday morning in hopes the hardworking woman had time to stop by. “You’re my favorite customer and here I am thinking _I_ was your favorite vendor. I guess saving lives is more important than having tea with a friend.”

Asami happily grabbed the cup and sat on the stool she was so accustomed to sitting on. She laughed at his words, “You know I love you!” 

Suddenly, a giant ball of white fur was sniffing around the flowers surrounding the small stall. It wandered inside the stand and looked up at Asami. To her surprise, the fluffy dog began licking the cup of tea she was holding on her lap.

“Oh my gosh. I am so sor-”

The familiar voice startled Asami and as she moved her body to the sound, familiar blue eyes were staring at her wide-eyed. Asami smirked, “We can’t keep meeting like this, Waters.”

Korra tugged on the dog’s leash, trying to get her out of the stall. “Come on, Naga!” After realizing that her dog was stuck to Asami’s side, Korra gave up and shyly scratched the back of her neck, a habit Asami thought was adorable. “S-Sorry, Asami.”

“I’m starting to think that ‘sorry’ for you means ‘hello’.”

“U-uh, sorry! I mean-..hello?”

Asami held in a laugh at how flustered she seemed to make the Inuit. “It’s okay. Stop apologizing to me.”

Korra handed Uncle Iroh a ten dollar bill and grabbed three panda lilies from a nearby vase. Without hesitating, she handed them to the other nurse, “Here, a token of my apology. For all of the times we keep meeting like this.”

Asami looked at the flowers held in front of her, then at the woman holding them. She had on the most endearing lopsided grin and her blue eyes were glistening under the morning sun. Even in what looked like running clothes, the woman before her looked ethereal. Asami felt her face flush as she recalled her thoughts. She slowly accepted the flowers and smiled at Korra. She could see Uncle Iroh wiggling his eyebrows at her in the corner of her eyes.

When Naga had decided she was done guarding Asami’s cup of tea and had walked back to Korra’s hip, the Inuit gave the two a nod and awkwardly walked away.

When Korra was out of earshot, the older man urged, “You know, the panda lily is a symbol of love. Is she a potential suitor, Miss Sato? Or perhaps someone you’re already falling for?”

Asami forced her eyebrows together, “No! Wh-what? Iroh, I barely met her the other day. We’re coworkers! That’s it.”

Uncle Iroh sighed, “Lying brings darkness to the soul and replaces the spot of honesty and truth.”

“I hate when you talk like that.”

“Because you know it’s true!” For a moment, Iroh and Asami sat in silence until the old man said, “You know, my great grandson’s single.”

Asami rolled her eyes, “The one who has the same name as you? I went on one date with him and it was just too weird calling him Iroh when the only thing that would pop in my head was my favorite vendor and his tea obsession.” The two laughed and sat in another comfortable silence. 

The old man watched the other carefully, missing the young girl who was barely able to reach up to his flowers. That same timid girl grew up to be a confident and sure woman, making Iroh tear up a little at the thought. “Yasuko would be very proud of you.”

Asami could only hope.

~~~

When Asami had gotten home, she decided to open her old Med-Surg textbook from college and read a few chapters. The talented nurse had reread the 567 page book at least eight times over already, but she believed that in order to keep her memory sharp, she needed to continue studying the material she had learned in nursing school. After a couple of hours, Asami decided it was a good time to get active. She returned the book to the pile of others neatly stacked on her night stand. One thing she disliked was not being able to exercise after her stressful shifts at the hospital, so her day-offs were spent either outside running errands or at the gym.

Asami dressed herself in a red Nike sports bra, paired with black Nike biker shorts, and headed out of the door for the second time that day. Once she got to the three story gym, she put her airpods in and tuned the world out. Asami almost _craved_ working out. It had been her peace ever since her demanding years in college. After a good hour long session, the heiress took the elevator to the sparring arena where she usually stretched. To her surprise, she was instantly met with short brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes.

“I’m starting to think you’re following me around, Korra.”

The other nurse turned her head, startled at the sound of Asami’s voice. “Hey! You come here, too?!” 

“Yeah, and I haven’t seen you here, ever. ”

Korra explained how she had just moved in with Opal and Bolin and how excited she was to be now living so close to the largest gym in Republic City. “Maybe we can workout or spar sometime?” Korra could see a hint of hesitation gleaming from Asami’s jade eyes and after getting no response, she cleared her throat and said, “Or we can..uh, grab a drink after..or something?”

Asami noticed Korra’s perfect, glistening skin. You could tell she had just finished an intense workout at the amount of sweat that was building up on her brown locks. The woman was wearing a gray, long sleeve crop top that tightly hugged her curves. The thin material excellently showed the defined muscles of her arms. Asami’s eyes trailed lower to Korra’s toned abdomen and she instantly felt warm all over. She didn’t know what had pushed her to do what she was about to do, but in an instant, her face was mere centimeters away from the Inuit’s. 

Asami smirked as she noticed Korra nervously eyeing her lips. As if on cue, the Inuit had licked her own, trying to find words to say. In a quick motion, Asami’s right hand was now reaching for the back of Korra’s leggings. She could see the younger nurse gulp, could almost feel Korra’s heart racing faster and faster. Or was that the ecstatic beat other own?

Just as quick as she put herself close to Korra, Asami had pulled herself away. Now she was holding onto Korra’s phone, adding herself as a contact. 

Asami noted the deep red hue on Korra’s cheeks as she handed the phone back. “Text me when you want that drink.” She winked and flipped her hair over her shoulders. Asami strutted away, knowing that Korra was definitely going to text her soon.

~~

Korra laid on the black sparring mat, melting into the cool material. Asami had left her in this unbreakable trance and she could not tell how long she had been staring at the ceiling. After a lengthy moment, the buzzing of her phone had finally woken her to her senses. Korra reached for the device and saw that she had been added to a group chat by Opal.

**Boo Boo Krew 🩹 🤪**

**Momma Ope:** hiiiiii gang!

**Asami Sato:** boo boo krew, really?

**Kuvi** : what are we, five?

**Shark** **boy** : Stupid name.

**Momma Ope:** )-:

**Me:** don’t worry opal, i love the boo boo krew ;) 

**Me:** mako, stfu

**Kuvi:** why am i here?

**Momma Ope:** ty korra ily

**Momma Ope:** weeeelll, i was thinking of ways to boost team morale and what better way to celebrate the new addition to our group than by going out for drinks! so, let’s meet up tmrw at raava’s 6pm?

**Asami Sato** : i think i’m going to be busy.

**Me:** aw, c’mon asami ): it’ll be fun!

**Asami Sato:** fine.

**Momma Ope:** eeep yay!! mako? bo? kuv?

**Shark boy:** I was thinking of a valid excuse to say no, but perhaps this will be fun. Sure, I’ll be there.

**Bo** : Yessss yes yes

**Momma Ope:** kuuuuvvvviiirrrraaa!!!

**Momma Ope:** kuv don’t make me come to your house and force you to answer 

**Momma Ope:** KUVIRA UNIDAD

**Momma Ope:** kuv pls 

Korra turned off her phone, smiling. _I guess I’ll text Asami earlier than I’d plan. I’ll text her later to see how she’s feeling about tomorrow._

She decided she had spent enough time daydreaming about the raven-haired woman and left the gym. 

~~ 

Duffel bag in hand, Korra trudged down the street towards her new home. She passed by a number of restaurants she promised herself to try once she had the time. As she looked through the glass window of a bakery that had caught her eye, a familiar green-eyed woman sat at a table all alone. Korra, who was exhausted from the session she had and who definitely needed a cold shower, chose to walk through the doors instead.

“Hey, Kuv!” the Inuit grinned.

Kuvira smiled back, “You found my secret hideout. I love this place.” She gestured towards the menu of sweet breads and caffeinated drinks. As Korra moved her head to read through the menu, she couldn’t help but notice that her friend was a bit distracted.

Kuvira’s phone seemed to keep ringing nonstop and after a while, she turned off the device and shoved it in her pocket. “It’s Opal.”

Remembering the conversation the crew had in the group chat, Korra asked, “So, I’m guessing you won’t be joining us tomorrow?”

The other woman shrugged, “I don’t know.”

Korra realized that the reason why Kuvira was so hesitant in going to the bar was because a certain someone, who the other had been obviously avoiding, was going to be there. Afterall, Kuvira didn’t seem like the type to turn down a night involving alcohol.

Korra thought for a moment, then finally she urged, “Kuvira, it wouldn’t be the same without you. You _have_ to go.”

Still unconvinced, Kuvira shrugged again.

“How about this, if you start to feel uncomfortable tomorrow, or if you’re not having the fun I’m promising you you’re going to have, you say a safe word and I’ll get you out of there. No questions asked.”

Now it was Kuvira’s turn to think. Her eyebrows knitted together and after a short pause she asked, “What’s our safe word?”

Korra remembered how Kuvira had held onto her hand the first time she had seen her and Asami together. So she let her hand rest on Kuvira’s, which was calmly atop the table. “How about you do this?” The Inuit squeezed her friend’s hand. “I’ll sit right next to you and you can squeeze my hand under the table. No one will know but you and me.”

The older nurse finally gave in. With a soft smile and a warm feeling radiating from Korra’s touch, she said,”Deal.” 

~~~

When Asami got home, she was exhausted. The heiress laid on her king bed and melted into the softness of her silk sheets. She quickly drifted off to sleep.

Suddenly, her eyes were forced open by some unknown, vigorous force. Asami wasn’t in the comfort of her room anymore. Instantly realizing that she was in her father’s study, deep in her childhood home, she began to feel anxious. 

Then, the same force that had flicked her eyes opened had pushed her to a corner. Asami fell backwards onto the floor, feeling the wind get knocked out of her. When she finally looked up, she noticed a younger version of herself kneeling on the floor. At her father’s desk was a man, his face hidden by the shadows of the room. 

Asami watched, terrified, as the younger her began to speak, “I-I’m sorry, dad..” She sounded so fragile, not like the woman she was so sure of.

“And _what_ exactly are you sorry about? You have to be more specific than that, Asami.” The man’s voice echoed through the room, ringing in her ears.

“Wh-whatever Kuvira said to you, she-she’s...lying. I-I’m sorry for all of the..the trouble she caused you. Please take me back in, dad.”

The man stood up and paced towards the kneeling Asami. Every step he took felt like an earthquake and as he got closer and closer to the girl, Asami curled deeper into the corner she had been sitting in. “Stand up.” The girl did as she was told without hesitation. 

The older Asami could see just how frightened she once was. The girl looked so small, so debilitated, shuddering in the presence of her father. 

“I knew that bitch was lying,” Hiroshi spat.

Then, the man pulled the girl into a forced hug. Asami could barely hear his whispers from the corner she took refuge in, but she remembered every word he had said to her, as if tattooed in her brain. _“Your mother and I didn’t raise a homosexual.”_

The girl hugged him with all her might, sobbing into his broad shoulders. Asami began feeling the same emotions the younger girl had. The anxiety was pervaded suddenly by fear of losing another parent. If Asami hadn’t known the poor girl in front of her, she would have called her _stupid_ , _pathetic_ , and a _hypocrite_. But Asami Sato was neither of those things. She had done what she had to do to keep the only family member she had close, though she knew that he was glued to her with lies and deceit.

The memory turned into mist and the heiress was now surrounded by a void of darkness. Panic started to permeate through her body as she walked around afraid. Trying to get herself back to reality, Asami forced her eyes shut. 

When she opened them, she was standing in the middle of her room, but the atmosphere felt different, heavy and uncomfortable. She stared at the two figures sitting in her bed. It was another younger version of herself and what looked to be like Mako. 

Younger Asami was covering her naked body with the sheets. “Get the _fuck_ out of here, Mako!”

Her ex-boyfriend was calmly seated next to her. “What? Why? Asami, we just had sex and now you’re pushing me away, again?”

“I don’t fucking want you anywhere near me.”

The boy stood up, getting seemingly angrier by the second. “I’m your boyfriend! We haven’t spoken in a _month,_ Asami. You’ve ignored all of my calls and texts and out of the blue you tell me to come over, _seduce me_ , and now you want me to leave?”

The younger heiress stayed silent. She didn’t know what she was doing. Asami was just trying to fill in the loneliness that had overshadowed her messy bedroom for a month.

Mako scoffed. “ _What the fuck is wrong with you_ ? After Kuvira left you’ve transformed into this cold _bitch_ and it’s like I don’t know you anymore. Opal and Bolin were right about you.”

To this, the girl stood up, hands held in fists, and shoved Mako out of the door. Mako, with no more reason to continue the argument, let himself be pushed. “I don’t want to see your shitty face ever again! Get out of my house!” Without waiting for Mako to attempt a remark, the girl slammed the door and fell to the floor. 

Asami watched in awe at how the younger college students had behaved. There was no excuse for her own behavior, but she had felt so _betrayed_. Not one of the people she had called friends had checked up on her after Kuvira left. Like the nightmare earlier, the memory had turned to mist once again and Asami found herself in the same lonely void. 

_Kuvira._ It was all _her_ fault. Asami closed her eyes again, trying to calm her breathing. 

When she opened them, she was having a hard time catching her breath. To check if she had finally woken up from her nightmares, Asami pinched herself hard on the arm. She grimaced as she realized that she had at last escaped the haunted memories she had stored in the deep tunnels of her mind. There was definitely going to be a bruise there later.

The nurse laid in bed, eyes up at the ceiling. She felt anxious, shaken, and tired. This was the first time in months that the sick force of life had forced her to visit one of those terrible memories. Asami could see her father’s words written in the air around her in repetitive motion. Mako’s voice also lingered in her ears. 

_What the fuck is wrong with you?_

Asami balled her hand in a fist and tears had started saturating her pillow. _Nothing_ was wrong with her. Everything was fine until _Kuvira_ had left her all alone. When her best friend had vanished, Asami had _no one_. She took a deep breath and coerced herself to stop crying.

Her thoughts began to roam to those dispiriting days. She had started working more, taking on shift after shift at ATMC to avoid the emptiness that seeped into her new condo. Asami would be so consumed in her profession that no one else, not a single thing, mattered. She started keeping to herself, afraid to fall into the deception of others, afraid to trust again. The long hours eventually paid off and her desire to avoid an empty home was seen as hard work and dedication to the hospital higher ups. Tenzin had rewarded her with nurse of the month time and time again and though she should feel proud, she had felt nothing. The other nurses, out of pure jealousy, would call her names behind her back. _Kiss ass. Goody-two-shoes. Smartass. Cold bitch._

So Asami began transforming into the names everyone held over her. She had pushed every single person away and the passion that once fed her soul was now replaced with _hatred._

Asami _hated_ all of them. Kuvira, Mako, Opal, Bolin. They were the ones who had failed her, who had created the bitch that she was now. She had purposely ignored them as if they had never met, though they all began working in the same hospital. But when Kya had come up to her unit, asking if she could work a shift another nurse had missed, Asami took this as an opportunity to finally confront her old friends. 

When she had heard Kuvira mumble something about Jargala’s alcoholism during that morning huddle, Asami took it upon herself to search up the woman’s instagram page. She wasn’t surprised to see the dumb nurse posting pictures of herself bar hopping across Ba Sing Se, a different drink in hand picture after picture. One letter typed and anonymously emailed to management later, Kya was now handing her a temporary position on 6 South while they tried to find a full-time replacement for Jargala. Asami began cooking up plans for revenge for all of the ‘friends’ that she knew were talking about her behind her back. That is, until she met the woman who had spilled coffee all over her. _Korra Waters._

Asami needed every single one of her plans to be _bulletproof_. So, when she had been met with gorgeous tanned skin, enchanting light sapphire eyes, and a cheeky lopsided grin, Asami instantly knew that life had thrown her another curve-ball. 

Something about the younger nurse had made her lose the guard she had built up for years. Korra was a never ending source of _light._ Asami saw her younger self in the Inuit. She had once carried the same flame of passion Korra was proudly holding onto every time she walked the halls of the great hospital. It made her want to _be_ _better,_ to _do better._ To _try_. Then, she noticed how Kuvira would snake her way in close to the brightness she was so mesmerized by and Asami knew her plans needed to be put on pause. What she needed to do first was protect Korra from the mess that was Kuvira, from the menace that was her old group of friends. 

  
Asami shook herself from the haze she put herself in and checked her phone. It was 4:27 am & she realized that in just a few hours, she had to pretend to be friends with the people she despised the most. Why was she doing this to herself? The nurse sighed in disgust. _Today was going to be fun._


	4. Catfight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whaaat, another chapter?! yup! i don't go back to work until monday, so i've taken every opportunity i've had to write for ya'll <3
> 
> enjoy, leave a comment if you like. i love reading your thoughts & predictions! :)

Kuvira let herself be immersed under the afternoon light as rays of sun kissed her skin. She sat on the white, plush couch in the corner of her balcony and took in the sight of the city’s skylight. Looking at her pure gold Nixon watch, she noted the three hours she still had left before having to face Opal’s sudden desire to make up with their old friend, Asami. Finally deciding to eat for the first time that day, she strode inside her opulent two bedroom studio and headed towards the open kitchen. Kuvira lazily opened her two door, silver refrigerator and grabbed the leftover pad thai she had the night before. 

Kuvira was not _always_ accustomed to the lavish lifestyle she was now living. Growing up in a small two bedroom house in the deep suburbs of Zaofu, she remembered her parents constantly bickering like children over the rent money they seemed to never have. What Kuvira was accustomed to were the stress of a broken home and the shattering noise of glass being thrown angrily at the walls of what she was forced to call home. Her family had owned a minute manufacturing factory that had been unsuccessful due to the number of more upscale competitors looming over the city. Instead of her father selling the company, which he had promised her mother he would do over and over again, he would take refuge in his small office in the crowded building, calling investor after investor, wishing for just a single lucky moment. One day, Mr. Unidad finally struck that luck when the CEO of Future Industries, Hiroshi Sato, had finally called him back. 

Soon, the struggling family was flying in a private Sato jet to Republic City, to talk over the deals that have been made over the phone with the affluent man. That is how Kuvira met Asami. 

It was on a beautiful, celestial night just a couple of days after the Unidads had landed in the city. Mr. Sato had urged the family to come to the Sato estate; a party was currently being planned to celebrate the two family’s budding partnership. Blinded by their new taste of luxury, the Unidads could not have prepared for the binding contract that would suddenly make their small company another commodity for Future Industries to abuse. 

Kuvira, unlike her parents, never liked parties, never cared for the luxuries. She never understood the concept of people putting on fake masks just to please the company of others. The only person who had caught her eye was the coal black-haired girl who would also put on that mask, but would also quickly take it off immediately after the conversation had concluded. Kuvira could see it in the way the girl would roll her eyes as the people she had spoken with would turn their backs away from her. 

She had caught up with the other only teenager at the large estate outside. The girl was sitting over a small balcony that overlooked a palatial garden.

Kuvira spoke first, “Not a fan of parties?”

The other looked up, a hint of sadness in her eyes. “Nope, they make me sick.” She made a face and the two teens laughed. 

After a moment, Kuvira held out her hand, to which the other shook hesitantly. “I’m Kuvira.”

A small smile formed on the heiress’s lips, “I’m Asami Sato.”

And in that moment, the two were attached to the hips. Nothing, not even the uncertainty of life, could come between them. 

In just a month, the Unidads had permanently moved to Republic City and seemed to unintentionally earn a larger income overnight. In just a snap of finger, Kuvira was starting college at the most notable university in the world, Republic City University. To her relief, Asami was too and the young Unidad had escaped the embarrassment and awkwardness of being the new kid in the city. Asami, as versatile as she was, was someone Kuvira had started relying on. The two new college students spent nights daydreaming about their careers in nursing, while at the same time complaining about the wave of stress nursing school was putting them under. The dream that they enjoyed talking about the most was where they both walked the aisle on graduation day, hand in hand, towards their bachelor’s degree. When Asami had gotten a CNA job at ATMC, she had put in a good word for Kuvira to Kya and overnight, Kuvira was running the floor with her best friend, happily.

So when Kuvira and her family decided to escape the wrath of Hiroshi Sato in a hurry on their graduation day, she knew she had hurt her closest confidant. But she didn’t care. How could she after what she had done, after the threat that was burned into her skull by none other than the same man that the family had worshipped for years? 

Kuvira’s trail of thought was cut short at the feeling of her phone buzzing in her pocket. 

**Korra**

**_11:34 am_ **

**Korra:** is it just me, or was bed 15 definitely hitting on opal the other day?

 **Me:** too bad opal’s gay.

 **Korra:** WAT

\------

**_3:27 pm_ **

**Korra:** ready to have fun tonight!? :D

 **Me** : don’t jinx it lol. 

**Korra** : it’ll be great kuv. i’ll be right beside you :)

 **Me** : thanks. (:

Kuvira smiled at the thought of Korra’s body lingering near her, a sudden excitement overcoming her own. The two nurses had been texting back and forth the previous night and she had become even more comfortable with their newfound friendship. 

~~~

Korra groaned into her pillow. After texting Kuvira, she had decided to take a short nap before the group’s get-together, but Bolin’s music had given her no peace to hold on to. 

Idly, she grabbed her phone and began texting Asami. Korra had tried texting her the night before, but after getting no response, she had come to the conclusion that the other was asleep.

**Asami Sato**

**_8:34 pm_ **

**Me** : hey asami! It’s korra :)

 **Me** : wait, you probably knew that already, probably saved my contact from the groupchat haha 

\--------

**_8:56 pm_ **

**Me** : uhh haha anyway, how are you feeling about tomorrow?

\--------

**_4:40 am_ **

**Asami** **Sato** : i’m so sorry, i fell asleep. i’m kind of nervous, but very excited to get to see you again.

Korra blinked. Asami had texted her back _hours_ ago! She reread what the heiress had said and heard her heartbeat louder than the bass vibrating through the entire room coming from Bolin’s speaker. 

She began texting, rereading her message over and over again. “I’m sorry I didn’t text sooner, I totally didn’t see your message. I definitely can’t wait to see you either!” Simple, not too flirty but ardent enough to show that she was interested. Her thumb hit send. 

~~~

Brushing her long, wavy black hair, Asami sat on the faux fur covered seat of her vanity mirror. She rubbed the most expensive perfume she could find on her pulse points and stared at herself in the mirror. The heiress had on a maroon romper that matched the color of her lip gloss. The sleeves were long, but the bottoms were cut short to her upper thighs, the front had an opening that showed off her perfect, snowy skin. The gold plated necklace that had her name in cursive matched the gold hair clip that held a strand away from her flawless face.

She went into her isolated parking garage and decided to take the white Mercedes Maybach that had remained untouched for over a year. Asami definitely wanted to stunt tonight. She smoothly drove down the busy street heading towards the downtown plaza. To her surprise, she noticed Korra leisurely walking alone on the sidewalk. Asami parked a few feet ahead of the woman, rolled her windows down and waited. The first thing she noticed about Korra’s outfit was the baby blue bralette underneath the black leather jacket around the woman’s shoulders. Her black skinny jeans held onto her curves perfectly and the silver chain that hung loosely around the woman’s exposed neck made Asami hold in her breath.

Once the Inuit had just about caught up to the parked vehicle, Asami raised her voice just enough for her to hear, “Need a lift?”

Korra’s body jolted in place as she searched around for Asami. When she realized the woman was in the car a couple of feet beside her, she smiled. “Hey!” Taking in how Asami looked in the vehicle she was driving, Korra’s mouth dropped. She stood there awkwardly, stunned at just how sexy the older nurse looked. 

“You coming in?” The question brought Korra back to reality and the Inuit nodded.

As soon as Korra put on her seatbelt, Asami started the car and in a fluid motion, they were drifting down the streets of downtown Republic City. 

Asami broke the comfortable silence, “So, why’re you walking to the bar all alone? I figured you would’ve caught a ride from Opal or… Kuvira.”

Korra took note of the bitterness in Asami’s voice once she had said her friend’s name. “Well, that was the plan, but Opal and Bolin take _so_ long to get dressed, I just decided to say fuck it and get there by myself.” Realizing it was only 5:15 pm, 45 minutes before they were all supposed to meet up, Korra asked, “What’re you doing out so early? Isn’t Raava just a ten minute drive from your place?”

The other woman shrugged. “I like driving around the city before having to meet up with new people. It gets me prepared for the social anxiety I wish I didn’t have.”

“Yeah, I get that. But hey, you know us, right? That has to make it a little bit easier?”

Asami couldn’t help but blush at the hint of concern in Korra’s voice. If only she could tell Korra the truth, about the pain and trauma her old friend group had caused her, but she bit back her tongue. Asami would talk about it with Korra when the right time came and the day didn’t need to be more complicated than she knew it was going to be. She lied, “Yeah.”

They fell into another pleasant silence and Asami could tell the other nurse was checking her out. Asami would quickly glance at Korra and blue eyes would suddenly dart from the heiress’s chest to the window. She smirked at the woman’s lack of secrecy. 

It had only taken them fifteen minutes to get to the bar’s parking lot. Korra had watched Asami park in the VIP lot in awe, mesmerized by the privileged treatment the older nurse was receiving from the staff. This was the bar the heiress had frequented and of course, her name was always going to be prominent on the guest list. 

Deciding to sit in the parked car a little longer, the two sat in the comfort of each other’s presence. Korra was the first to break the ice, “You look _really_ good, Asami.” 

Asami turned to face Korra, not hiding her own eyes that were now exploring the other woman’s body. “And you look even better.”

She kept Korra’s unrelenting gaze, seeing a glint of lust in beautiful ocean eyes. Asami’s imagination traveled down a path of desire, aching for her skin to be touched by mocha-kissed hands. A force that was not her own was bringing her closer to the Inuit and in unison, they were inching closer and closer to one another. 

A knock on Korra’s window startled the two women who had bolted to their sides of the car. Korra looked through hers to see Opal watching them impatiently. 

“Let’s go inside! What’re you two waiting for? We could have gotten a table by now!”

Asami rolled her eyes and laid her forehead on the steering wheel. She groaned in frustration at the small pool of wetness that had been building up in her bottoms.

~~~

When the group had finally gotten inside the busy building, Kuvira was already sitting at a booth. Korra noticed the all-black pant suit the nurse was wearing and the flash of a green crop top underneath the perfectly fitted blazer. Remembering her promise, she took a seat beside Kuvira, earning a raised eyebrow from Asami, who took her seat across from them. 

The night was going along calmly. Both Kuvira and Asami seemed like they were having a perfect night, even laughing at each other’s jokes. The group fell into a rhythm of taking shots and exchanging ridiculous nursing stories. 

Bolin was in the middle of sharing a story about the time they had first admitted Mrs. Jonesie and the hard time the old lady had given her nurse. Kuvira had lowered her head to rest on Korra’s shoulder and Asami began glaring at her, a small scowl formed on her lips.

Kuvira spoke, “I swear, Jonesie hates everyone but Korra.” 

The Inuit jokingly added, “That’s because _I’m_ the best nurse on the unit.”

Opal giggled, “Yeah, you’re fucking drunk. You wouldn’t be saying that in front of Sato if you were sober.” 

Asami’s attention remained unchanged and her voice carried an intensity that startled Korra, “What’s that supposed to mean, Opal?”

Opal stammered, “I-I...nothing. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s..just that..”

Mako spoke for her, “You just walk around like you own the unit, that’s all. You’re the _perfect_ nurse.” 

_Uh oh._ Mako’s tone of voice was not friendly at all. Suddenly, the amicable atmosphere had dropped, replaced by an uncomfortable heaviness. Korra could feel Kuvira stiffen under the eyes of Asami Sato, who was still glowering at her. 

Feeling like the conversation's awry turn was her fault, Korra tried to cut through the heaviness. “Aaanyways...uh, who wants to take another shot?” She picked up her own shot glass, motioning for the others to follow but nobody did. She brought the glass to her lips and gulped the tequila down. 

To her relief, the conversation had moved on and Bolin continued with his story. Asami was still staring at Kuvira, who still comfortably rested her head on her shoulder. 

The heiress spoke, “Kuvira, you’re awfully quiet.”

The other nurse removed herself from her position and held a glass with both hands, “Were you expecting me to say something, _Sato?_ ” 

Before Asami could respond, Opal began another story, addressing Asami. “You know, I kind of forgot that we were all working at the same hospital, Asami. Now you’re on our unit. Crazy world.”

Kuvira’s hand wandered below the table, reaching for Korra’s, which was sitting on her lap. Though Asami was talking to Opal, her gaze remained on the two of them, a look of confusion had replaced her scowl. 

Korra felt a gentle squeeze and as if on cue, she forced herself to interrupt the conversation, “Uh, I kind of need some air.” Kuvira nodded, “I think I do, too.” Hand in hand still, the two women stood up and walked away. 

Asami could feel a small pang tug on her heart. _What was going on between Korra and Kuvira? If they were together, why did Korra seem so interested in me?_ The questions roaming around her head made her even dizzier than the alcohol. Left alone with only Bolin, Opal, and Mako, all Asami wanted to do was go home.

~~~

Korra and Kuvira sat together on the benches right outside the entrance of Raava. Under the bar’s large neon sign, bright pink hues had made Kuvira look more innocent than the hardass woman she had begun to know too well. The music of the city, horns beeping and pedestrians chatting by, made Korra feel a sense of peace. This was where life had intently taken her and she couldn’t help but feel grateful to be away from the snow and coldness of the South.

Kuvira still held the Inuit’s hand in her own, as if holding on for life. Korra had noticed that the balled fist Kuvira had made during the previous conversation remained. The Inuit was now gently stroking the woman’s knuckles, now white from the pressure, with a thumb.

Korra searched her companion’s eyes. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just felt a little heavy in there.” Kuvira gave her a miniscule smile. “Thanks for getting me out.”

The younger nurse smiled back, “Anything you need, I’m right here.”

Then, the older nurse moved closer to Korra’s gravity. She didn’t know what compelled her to lean closer towards her friend, maybe it was the liquor saturating her bloodstream or the heat of the moment, but now Korra could smell the perfume on Kuvira’s neck, a scent of expensive taste. Before Korra could find words to say, the bar’s double doors swung open. 

Long, pale legs strutted near them, jade eyes looked disappointed. Korra let go of Kuvira’s hand and grasped Asami’s. “You’re leaving?”

Korra knew the smile Asami was giving her was forced, almost looked robotic, “Yep. It’s getting a little late.” 

The young nurse stood up from the bench. Worry in her voice, she asked, “Are you driving yourself home?”

“Yeah, it’s just a few minutes away.”

Korra suddenly felt anxious at the thought of Asami driving intoxicated. “Wait, let me call you an Uber. We can share a ride.” The heiress remained silent, her eyes locked on hers, lips formed in a straight line. Korra urged, “Please?”

Kuvira coughed. “Look, I only drank a glass and that was a couple of hours ago. I’ll take both of you home.” 

Asami scoffed, “I’ll take that Uber, Korra.” 

The other woman rolled her eyes and held onto Korra’s other arm firmly, “Fine, but I’m taking Korra home.”

Korra felt uneasy being sandwiched between the two green-eyed women. Both of them were now angrily frowning at one another and she didn’t know where this was going to go. It was obvious to her that Asami was leaving because she was upset over _something_ , but so was Kuvira. All Korra wanted to do was to be there for the both of them, but how could one person do such a thing?

Suddenly, the rest of the crew walked out, Mako holding Bolin’s arm over his shoulder and Opal close behind. 

Mako sighed, “It’s time to head out, folks. This guy just blacked the fuck out.” He pointed at his brother who was in a groggy state.

At the sight of the three women’s position, Opal raised an eyebrow. After a while, she motioned for Korra to follow her, “Come on, K. We’re going home.” She spun her key ring on a finger, “I’m DD, remember?”

At this, Kuvira had let go of her grasp and looked away. 

Korra’s eyes were still fastened to Asami’s, “Hold on, let me get an Uber for Asami.”

The heiress raised up her hand. “It’s okay, I’ll figure it out.” She gave Korra a small, genuine smile and nodded for her to leave with her friends. 

The group dispersed to their respective rides and Korra felt instant relief. She sat in the passenger seat of Opal’s SUV, resting her forehead against the cool glass of the window. Bolin’s loud snoring and drunken mumbles were the only sounds that filled the air during the car ride home.


	5. Failures and Successes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, folks! hope you all are having a wonderful week :)
> 
> i'm sorry to my korrasami babies in advance <3

The next couple of days off for Korra was more than uneventful. Living with Bolin and Opal was crazier than she had initially expected _.  _ Bolin Chai was the brother that was more fun, the one who enjoyed adventures and seeked the thrill of uncertainty...or so Korra thought. At first Bolin’s high spirits were something Korra could bounce off of, having that same high energy herself, but after the third crazy idea Bolin had suggested ultimately failed, Korra was  _ tired.  _

Bolin had wanted to hike through The Great Divide, but what started as a leisurely walk, ended in the man tumbling down a small cliff. Luckily, Bolin emerged only with minor scratches and a bruise on his leg, but both Korra and Opal had lost their voices screaming behind him in horror.

But Korra was kind of..thankful for her friends unintentional distractions. The activities of the day kept her mind from wandering to the two elephants in the room that she had witnessed sitting across one another at the bar the other night. She hadn’t reached out to either Kuvira or Asami in fear of saying the wrong thing. Korra was  _ confused _ , to say the least. It was obvious that there was some sort of easy-going chemistry between her and the heiress, but Kuvira had also tried to _ kiss  _ Korra, and the Inuit had almost let it happen. She slapped herself. 

_ What am I doing? _

The reason why she moved to Republic City wasn’t to start a relationship, though she was glad she had met both of the green-eyed goddesses. She came to the city and applied to be a nurse at Air Temple Medical Center to start her  _ career _ . Korra wanted nothing more than to be a  _ great _ nurse, to  _ save lives! _ Now, she was in a pickle.

~~~

At work the following day, Asami had completely ignored the younger nurse. Korra would attempt to start a conversation and Asami would find any excuse to leave. At first, Korra understood Asami’s ‘busy’ schedule, but after the fourth “I can’t talk right now, Mrs. Jonesie needs me” excuse, Korra gave up. Oddly enough, the Inuit was somewhat relieved that Asami had chosen to avoid rather than confront her. The younger nurse didn’t need any distractions today. 

Kya had called Korra to come in earlier that morning. The younger Inuit was a nervous wreck, overthinking why her charge nurse wanted to meet up with her before the shift started. Did they reread through her application and found out that she wasn’t actually qualified at all to work at the hospital? Did she not pass the drug test she had taken a month ago? Was she getting  _ fired?! _

Korra’s mind was still racing with self-doubt as she sat in Kya’s office, fidgeting her badge reel. Her uneasiness must have been obvious because Kya had put a hand on the nurse’s shoulder and said, “Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble at all.”

The young nurse let go of the breath she didn’t know she was holding and Kya continued. “You’ve really surprised me these past couple of weeks, Miss Korra.” The charge nurse stood up and leaned on the counter behind the small white desk. “It’s evident that you care for these patients as if they were your own family.”

Korra spoke up, “Yeah, I know they say not to get too attached to them, but honestly, wouldn’t you want to be treated with the same compassion and care you get from the people who care about you?”

Kya nodded. “That’s exactly why I think you’d do a great job being alone today _. _ ”

The younger Inuit’s look of surprise made the other woman chuckle. “I know you’ve only been training for three and a half weeks, but you know how to think critically and you’re great at the bedside.” She sat back down, making eye contact with Korra, “How you work, the values that you carry and just everything about you, is  _ exactly _ what this hospital is about.”

Korra wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but she held back her excitement. She sat there speechless and soon, a herd of self-doubt replaced the enthusiasm she had a second ago. She began sulking in her thoughts. What if she wasn’t good enough to be on her own yet? What if she fails Kya?

As if the older nurse had heard her self-loathing, she said, “Look, how about I give you your own six patients today and we’ll see how you do? I’ll give you an easy run and if you don’t think you’re ready, you’ll continue the additional two weeks of training. If you do great, which  _ I _ definitely believe you’ll do, you’ll officially be a  _ real _ nurse.”

Korra thought for a moment. This is what she had been yearning for, have been aching to be. If Kya, the daughter of Katara herself, believed in her abilities and skills, shouldn’t she? After a small time of mental deliberation, she finally agreed to Kya’s proposal. 

~~~

The charge nurse had kept to her promise and gave Korra a simple run, allowing her to care for two patients who were going to be discharged, another two that were total care, and the rest were there for more minor conditions compared to the others. In the end, Korra found herself enjoying her newfound freedom, discovering a pleasant rhythm she never had. She learned that independence was something she needed in order for her to fully trust her own confidence. 

Korra became more responsible, more purposeful with her patient interactions. By lunchtime, she had gotten the hang of being an independent nurse and she was surprised to notice that her energy was higher than usual. Her time management was crisp, her med passes weren’t met with any refusals, and her patient education was more than subpar.

The crew, except Asami, were now sitting in the conference room, eating their lunch. Like usual, Kuvira took her spot next to the Inuit and both of them positioned themselves across the room, away from the group. They had not spoken about their small moment at the bar, but Kuvira still continued to act like her usual self, unlike Asami who was obviously ignoring her. 

It must have also been apparent that something was troubling Korra because Kuvira had asked her what was wrong a number of times already during their break. 

Korra finally responded, “Asami’s been avoiding me.” She fiddled with the crust on her turkey sandwich, suddenly losing appetite, “ I don’t know what happened, I thought me and her were  _ really  _ getting along.”

The other woman rolled her eyes. “That’s just how she is. She pushes everyone away. She can be such a bit-”

“-No, Kuvira. Don’t talk about Asami like that.” Korra’s eyebrows knit together and she frowned at the words that had come out of her friend’s mouth. She knew that the two nurses had an unpleasant past, but  _ she _ was not, and didn’t want to be, a part of it. Asami had shown her nothing but kindness and hearing someone call her new companion unkind names didn’t sit right with her. 

“I-I didn’t mean it like that, Korra. It’s just that this is her standard personality and I don’t want you beating yourself up over whatever’s wrong with her.”

Korra couldn’t help but disregard the idea that  _ this _ was Asami’s normal. She just couldn’t believe it. Kuvira must have been talking about a different Asami because the raven-haired woman she knew was just the opposite.  _ Her  _ Asami was warm and funny, beautiful and radiant. Korra frowned again, “Yeah, I guess.”

Kuvira searched Korra’s eyes and in a softer tone, she said, “Listen, I care about you, Korra. I can tell she’s got you pretty down. On a day like this, you should be happy.” The Unidad added, “You’re an amazing nurse and I want to celebrate this accomplishment with you. How about we get some sweet bread and coffee at that cafe after work?”

Korra let herself smile, “I’d really like that.” Though Kuvira had been insensitive, Korra could see the subtle softness she would only share with her. Korra found herself wanting to indulge in Kuvira’s unexpected positive spirit and suddenly, the leftover uncertainty she had about herself disappeared. 

  
  


Though Kuvira had cheered her up a little bit, Korra couldn’t get Asami out of her mind. Why was she ignoring her? 

After consulting Kuvira, she noticed that the older nurse’s glares became hardened whenever Asami was in the room. When the two walked passed one another down the hallways, both nurses would exchange side-eyes and shady glances. The Inuit started to again question their rocky past. Why did they seem like they hated each other? 

Her train of thought was interrupted when she saw the two CNAs, Jinora and Kai, standing in front of bed 24. 

Kai whispered to Jinora, “Don’t go in there. Miss Satobot’s going to yell at you.” 

“But the call light’s on, Kai. I can’t just stand here and not help Mrs. Han. And, and I can’t go get Miss Asami, she just went on break!” 

Korra startled the two as she walked up to them. “What’s going on? You two need help?”

Jinora looked up at Korra, “Mrs. Han needs help with something and I’m scared to go in. She’s Asami’s patient and… I don’t want to get in trouble.”

Korra chuckled at the young girl’s innocence. “It’s okay, I’ll go in.”

“But Miss Korra, Sato will-”

“Kai, I got it.” Before walking into the room, Korra turned to the young boy, “And don’t call Miss Asami names like that, okay?”

The CNA’s cheeks became red in an instant, “U-uh, yeah. I, um, I’m sorry.”

“You know I’m not the one you’re supposed to be apologizing to.” And with that, the nurse walked into bed 24.

~~~

Korra was aware of Mrs. Han’s situation after Mako had spoken about her at the bar. The 48 year-old woman refused her medications and never spoke to any of her nurses. So when Korra saw the light flash on top of 24’s door, she knew the woman must have  _ needed _ something badly. Korra also knew that she should have called for Asami, but she hoped that by taking the heiress’s patient, she could give her a few more minutes of quiet. Maybe if Korra helped Mrs. Han, Asami would see the good she’d done and finally want to talk to her. She let the door close behind her as she walked in. 

Mrs. Han had her eyes closed, her neck brace caused her to lay stiffly in bed, like a log stuck in mud.

“Hi, Mrs. Han. I know you don’t know me, but my name is Korra. I’m one of the nurses on the unit and I’m going to be helping you out, okay?”

The nurse was met with silence and at first, she was afraid that the woman before her had expired, but then she noticed her chest moving in a slow, shallow motion. Korra pulled a chair and sat at the bedside. That’s where she noticed the pool of tears that had congregated on the pillow Mrs. Han was laying on. Korra rested a warm hand on the woman’s. 

“Mrs. Han? Is everything okay?”

When the patient finally opened her eyes, she stared into Korra’s own. Mrs. Han observed the sorrow and passed melancholy that were swimming in the nurse’s eyes, the same feelings she was currently being plagued with. 

The patient began to speak, “I...can’t do this.”

Korra sat up, concern was now pervading her mind, “Can’t do what, Mrs. Han?”

The older woman cried, “ _ This! _ ” Her hands waved around the entire room. “I don’t want to be  _ here _ anymore.”

“If you want to get out of the hospital sooner and get to your family, you have to get better, ma’am. You have to take your meds and eat your food, maybe even talk to Miss Asami?”

Mrs. Han held onto the blankets and began crying uncontrollably. Realizing what the woman had meant, Korra squeezed the hand she was holding. The nurse felt her chest tighten.

“Mrs. Han, you have to live for your daughter.”

“How can I? She  _ hates  _ me. I can’t live like this. I have  _ no one. _ ”

“If not for her, then for yourself.”

Korra thought back to when Mako had mentioned the motor vehicle accident the woman had been in. The accident had been fatal for Mrs. Han’s husband, but she had miraculously lived, only experiencing a broken neck and a couple of bruises on her back. Her daughter hadn’t visited her, hadn’t called or answered any of the calls from the unit clerk. The nurses guessed that the daughter was blaming her mother for her father’s passing.

The nurse blinked and suddenly, the woman in front of her had magically transfigured into an eighteen year-old Korra, lying broken on the hospital bed, screaming at the nurses and doctors that had visited her. She shook the thought away and tried keeping her gaze to the patient.

“I need you to be honest with me, okay?” Mrs. Han gave a slight nod and Korra asked, “Have you been having thoughts about harming yourself?” The woman nodded again, hesitant at first. Korra continued, “How long have you been feeling this way?”

Mrs. Han’s voice sounded small and weak under the covers, “Ever since...since I got here.”

“I know you’ve been having a tough time. This is a safe place to share those feelings, Mrs. Han, I promise.” An unbreakable silence waved through the two and Korra stayed in the room in hopes that her presence was comforting the patient. Small sobs echoed through the small room and Korra’s mind began traveling elsewhere. 

  
  


Suddenly, she was sitting on the passenger side of her first car. On the driver’s seat was the same eighteen year-old Korra that she had seen earlier, a smug look on her face. Nurse Korra tried to frantically get away from the memory, but she was stuck in place and to her terror, all she could do was watch.

Younger Korra looked out of her window at the red car beside her. Her high school best friends, Chen and Bui, were staring back, laughing. Chen revved his engine and in a quick second, both vehicles were speeding through the back roads like bullets. It was a late, cold afternoon and the sun had just begun to set. The cool air flowed through Korra’s long hair, bringing energy all the way from her head to her fingertips, causing her to grip the steering wheel even tighter. 

Chen maneuvered his car closer to Korra’s, making the Inuit swerve to the right. She laughed and did the same move back, causing Chen to deviate from the middle of the dusty road to the left. With winning in mind, Korra began increasing her speed, faster and faster. After a while, she looked to her left, then at her rearview mirror. The car that had been trailing behind her had disappeared. She toyed with the rearview mirror in search of the car. Korra’s heart dropped to her stomach when she saw Chen’s vehicle upside down on the side of the road. It seemed to have swerved from the road and landed in a small snow-filled ditch.

With a flick of a switch, Korra fell into an abyss of anxiety, panic, and worry. She began to shake, sight blinded by the heaviness of the tears tugging at her eyes. Rain started to pour on the asphalt, mimicking how hard her tears had dropped on the steering wheel. As she was about to make a u-turn to get to her friends, her vehicle began to hydroplane. With a loud crash and the sound of bones breaking, the Inuit was suddenly surrounded by darkness.

Nurse Korra started to scream, trying to claw herself out of the terrible daydream that was torturing her, but she couldn’t move from her seat.

  
  


Then, after a quiet, eerie moment, Mrs. Han’s voice drove her back to reality, “I-I think I’m ready to talk to Asami…”

Korra’s ears were ringing and her heartbeat almost minimized the voice of Mrs. Han. She took a deep breath in, let it out, and centered herself.

Finally, Korra bowed her head at the older woman. As if she was not just having an out of body experience, she smiled at the patient. “Okay. Thank you for sharing how you’re feeling with me. I’ll have your nurse come in here and talk to you.” 

Before leaving the room, the nurse looked around for any sharp objects and chords. After finding no sign of any threats, she exited the room, keeping the door opened. She shook the panic that had bubbled up in her stomach and tried to calm down.

To Korra’s surprise, Asami was standing outside of the door, waiting. The two nurses hid away from the opening, out of range for Mrs. Han to hear or see them. 

Korra’s terror was replaced with eagerness at the sight of the jade eyes she didn’t want to admit she was falling for. She smiled up at Asami, not noticing the lour that had invaded the older nurse’s face. “She’s ready to talk to you, Asami! I got her to ta-!”

“-What the  _ fuck _ were you doing in my patient’s room?”

Korra’s excitement left her face and she started to frown. “Wh-Wha-? Her call light was on and you were on break, so I went in there to help her.”

“No. What you do is you  _ call _ the patient’s nurse. You have no right going into  _ my _ patient’s room. You would have fucked everything up for me if you had said something wrong. Then who’s going to be at fault?  _ Me,  _ Korra!”

Not noticing that the other staff members' attention was now fixated on them, Korra raised her voice, “But I didn’t, did I? I  _ helped _ her, Asami. She’s willing to finally cooperate with you and that’s because of  _ me _ !” Was Asami really upset at her right now? Did she think Korra didn’t know how to speak to a patient? She scoffed at the thought and shook her head at how inexperienced Asami must have thought she was. 

Asami crossed her arms, “While you were playing  _ hero _ with my patient, yours were calling for you. You know how much work you just dumped on Kai and Jinora?”

Ignoring her comment, Korra shoved passed the other nurse and walked away, a flame of fury burning in her chest. 

Kya had been at the nurse’s station, watching the two nurses’ dramatic exchange. She sighed disappointingly and turned her attention to the phone that was ringing in front of her. 

~~~

“Sorry to interrupt your day, Miss Korra.” 

Korra was, once again, sitting in Kya’s office and again, the same anxiety she once felt pumped through her veins, being more unbearable by the second. She finally found her voice, “I-it’s okay.”

This time, Kya didn’t try to comfort her. The cheeky smile she shared with Korra that morning was gone, replaced by a straight line. “The shift is almost over and I want to know how you’re feeling.”

“It started off really, really good. I’m not a fan of people praising themselves, but I think this small taste of independence is really helping me become a better nurse. Uh, so… thank you for giving me this, um, opportunity.”

The older Inuit nodded. “I agree, one hundred percent. You’re already a wonderful nurse, but something I noticed is your lack of, what’s the word?” She tapped her fingers on the table. “Oh, right! Focus. That’s what you’re missing, Korra. Your heart’s in the game, but your head isn’t.” 

Korra sucked in her bottom lip and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. Disappointment was not a word she would use to describe what she was feeling. It was more than that- she felt like a  _ failure. _

“Korra, I don’t want you to think that I don’t believe in you, because I do. I don’t think that’s ever going to change. You’re brilliant, I promise you that much.” 

She opened her eyes and the charge nurse continued, “What I’m about to suggest is no indication of how much belief I have in you, but I think, with the help of Asami this week, you can learn to be more centered.”

The nurse sighed. The last thing she wanted was to be in the presence of Asami all day, teaching her about  _ nursing. _ But who was she to turn down her superior’s suggestion? Instead of making her case, she nodded, “Thank you, Miss Kya.” With that, Korra stood up from her seat, gave Kya a bow, and walked out of the office feeling defeated. The high of the last few hours had left her body and all she wanted was to be alone, to let herself cry. 

~~

The rest of the day had gone by quickly to Korra’s relief. Kya had let her finish the day with her independence still in hand, letting her experience how to perform an SBAR, which was the last thing she wanted to do. The night shift nurse had been difficult to talk to and Korra was not in the right mind to give report. Thoughts of Kya’s look of disappointment made her feel like she was drowning, lungs filling up with water, and she was going crazy.  _ Asami _ didn’t even believe in her. 

Korra sulked alone in the conference room, waiting for Kuvira to finish giving report. She went over the events of the day and thought about the million different choices she could have made to favor an outcome where she still had Kya’s trust. She sniffled at the belittling thoughts that were now occupying her headspace. She recalled her past memory that had randomly hit her that afternoon and her mood automatically rolled deeper down the hill of anxiety.

The door quietly opened and jade eyes met her own. “Hey.”

Korra rapidly wiped away the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes. “What’s up?”

Asami, with tentative steps, had walked over to the Inuit. Korra motioned for her to sit on the bench next to her. Asami began, “I wanted to...apologize.” She tried searching Korra’s eyes, noticing how blue orbs remained fixated on the floor, and the older nurse’s eyes furrowed in worry. The confident, charming nurse of the morning, now looked so dejected. “Hey. Hey, look at me.” Ocean-filled eyes finally reached viridescent orbs. “Are you okay?”

Korra couldn’t stop the stream of tears that we’re now racing down her cheeks. “I just had a hard day. I realized I’m not as good of a nurse as I thought I was.”

“Nonsense, you’re  _ amazing _ .” She gave Korra’s arm a tight squeeze, shuddering at the contact of warm skin. “I know it might’ve seemed like I didn’t think you could handle a patient like Mrs. Han, but I was wrong. You got her to talk to me, Korra. I called her doctor and now she’s going to be taking the right medications. You might have  _ saved _ her from herself.” Asami now pulled her into a tight embrace and Korra let herself sink into the feeling of endearment and affirmation that the other woman was giving her. 

Korra felt like she could be immersed in Asami forever. She swore she felt unforgettable sparks travelling from Asami’s body onto hers, giving her more positive energy by the second. She felt the weight of the day move off of her shoulders and in a flash of a moment, she felt okay.

The woman finally let her go after a few seconds. To Korra, it felt like a lifetime. “I’m so sorry for being such a pain in the ass to you today.” 

“Yeah, what was all that about? Did I do something to make you hate me all of a sudden?”

Asami would open her mouth to speak, then quickly close it. She did this a couple of times and Korra could tell she was trying to find just the right words to say. “I just...I want to know something.” The Inuit nodded for her to continue. “What’s going on with you and  _ Kuvira _ ?”

A look of confusion had begun forming on Korra’s face. Why was the heiress asking about her friendship with Kuvira? Was she... _ jealous _ ? Speaking her thoughts aloud, Korra finally asked mockingly, “Wait, are you jealous, Miss Sato?”

“N-no! I’m not- why would I be-? I...well, maybe?” Asami covered her face with her hands. “Okay, I am. Korra, I  _ like _ you. Something about you is just so captivating and if I’m being honest, you haven’t left my mind since the moment I met you.”

Korra blinked. Was this really happening? She could feel her face change color and her heart start to travel up to her throat. This was definitely not the same Asami she had witnessed a couple of hours ago, not the same Asami that had been known to be the biggest bitch in the hospital. Again, she was speechless. 

_I think you’re perfect. You’re simply amazing, too. You keep running through my mind and I’m scared you’ll take over my life._ _I can’t breathe when you’re near me._

She desperately tried forming the sentences she was thinking, but what came out was a blubbering, stuttering mess. 

Before she could finally configure a proper sentence that validated how she felt about the alluring raven-haired woman, the  _ other _ green-eyed woman had walked in. 

“You ready, Korra?”

Both Asami and Korra turned their heads to the voice in unison. The Inuit couldn’t even hide the scowl forming on her face, annoyed that their moment was interrupted yet again. As nicely as she could possibly say, she mumbled, “In a minute, Kuvira.”

The woman gaped in concern at Korra’s puffy red eyes. “Wait, have you been crying?” She turned her attention to the other woman, who was now rolling her eyes. Kuvira raised her voice, “What the  _ fuck _ did you do, Asami?!”

Asami had a tight grip on Korra’s arm, almost too painful for her to endure. “I didn’t do anything.  _ You _ interrupted  _ our  _ conversation.” 

Emerald jewels darted between her ex-best friend and who she wanted to be her future. “Don’t you think you’ve tortured Korra enough today? Leave her alone.”

Asami let go of her grasp on Korra and was now standing toe-to-toe with Kuvira. She taunted, “Aren’t  _ you _ the reason she should be watching her back?” She turned her head to face the younger nurse, “Korra, you need to stay away from her. Kuvira’s-”

Korra couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. The two people she had started to care about the most in Republic City were now fighting one another and she felt stuck in between. She couldn’t think of what to do or how to feel. The warmth of Asami’s confession, now replaced with waves of anger and frustration, was fading away. Korra was angry at the vicious and spiteful comments that were now filling the room. She hated how Kuvira automatically assumed Asami had bad intentions and she hated the looks Asami was giving Kuvira. It was now clear that the two women were trying to save her from each other, but Korra didn’t need saving.

“-She’s  _ what _ , Asami? A bitch? A snake? A bad friend?” Korra scoffed, “I’ve heard it all already. From the both of you, actually. The two of you bicker like children and you’ve put me right in the middle of whatever bad blood you have. Neither one of you is innocent. Honestly-” She looked at the floor, “-your behaviors make me sick.”

She veered to Kuvira, whose mouth was slightly opened in surprised fashion. “I  _ don’t _ need saving from either of you.” The Inuit abruptly rose from her seat and without saying another word, walked out of the door.

Asami gritted her teeth. “Look what you did, Kuvira.”

“What  _ I _ did?! She’s been miserable all day because of you!”

“And what exactly could I have done to make her feel so bad? You have this, this savior complex where you think you can solve and fix everyone’s problems. Open your eyes, Kuvira!  _ I’m _ not Korra’s problem and  _ she  _ doesn’t need you to look out for her!”

Kuvira snorted. “Asami, you’re the reason why Kya’s making her orient again. You’re the reason why she’s been so down today.” She glared at the other woman, “You’re too fucking self-absorbed to see that you’re hurting her. You don’t care about anyone else’s feelings but your own.”

Asami sat silently, perplexed at the words that had easily escaped out of her ex-best friend’s mouth. “Is that what you really think of me, Kuvira? That I’m that  _ heartless _ ?”

“That’s exactly who you are.”

This was not how Asami had planned to confront Kuvira, but she couldn’t keep her blood from boiling. “ _ You’re  _ the reason why I’m like this.”

Kuvira laughed. “Don’t blame me for the person you never stopped yourself from becoming.” Without looking back, her ex-best friend had walked out of the door, sniffing for Korra’s trail.

~~~

The dark, night sky mirrored how Korra was feeling- empty and lost. She sat on the blue bench of the bus stop and waited for the next ride to come. She could have caught a ride from Opal, but her roommates had already gone home together. Korra was not prepared for the ending that had erupted earlier. What she had expected after her shift was a quiet night out in the company of her friend, Kuvira, munching on sweet cakes and drinking caffeine. Now, she was questioning the relationship she had developed with the other nurse. 

Kuvira, who had been her closest colleague, who had helped her find comfort on the unit, was now the reason why she was undeniably feeling all of these confusing emotions at once.

They were a mixture of frustration, anger, relief,  _ excitement? _ It finally occurred to the Inuit that Kuvira had some sort of hidden attraction towards her and she didn’t know if the feeling permeating through her chest was solace or indifference. She was lost, torn between the elated feeling she had felt from Asami’s confession and between the apparent affection she had received from Kuvira. She let the cool air of the night carry her stress away. 

After a couple of minutes, she held her head up at the sound of footsteps approaching her. 

“Hey, are you okay?”

“I don’t know, Kuvira.” 

The Unidad took a seat next to her, keeping her eyes locked on the busy street. “I’m sorry.”

“I know you are.” Korra sighed, “I’m just so confused.”

“Confused about?”

“Us? You and Asami? I keep thinking about what you told me, about how the two of you lost touch, but I can’t help but think there’s something more to the story.”

It was Kuvira’s turn to sigh. “Do you trust me?” Korra nodded. “Then believe me when I say that nothing more happened. Asami grew out of our friendship.” After a second, she added, “Both of us did.”

Korra brushed the skepticism she had away. “I just...I keep getting in between your fights and, and I don’t know why the both of you are so angry to begin with.”

Kuvira chuckled. “She can tell I like you.” Her eyes wandered from the street to Korra. “And it’s obvious she likes you, too.”

“Y-you...like me?  _ Like  _ like me?”

“Yeah, who wouldn’t? You’re an  _ incredible _ nurse. You have so much passion and your confidence is  _ addicting. _ ” She gave her a brazen grin, “And so is your smile.”

The two sat in solace, staring at one another. The dim streetlight barely illuminating their faces and the calmness brought by the traffic beginning to form created a picture perfect moment.

Suddenly, Kuvira leaned in closer and in one quick motion, held Korra’s bottom lip in her’s. The Inuit immediately softened at the contact, letting herself melt in an instant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how do ya'll feel about this chapter? team kuvira or team asami?!


	6. Everything Was Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, folks! hope your week wasn't as crazy as mine. sorry for updating so late, i decided to pick up another shift tomorrow & couldn't find the time besides tonight to post ): this is a *shorter* chapter, but all in all, it gives you more background info on everyone ;)
> 
> as always, please tell me what you think! i absolutely love your comments & how much ya'll are loving this small fic i came up with out of the blue!

Kuvira plopped herself down on the bed next to Opal. “I don’t know what to dooooo, Ope!”

“Why don’t you just  _ tell her _ how you feel?”

Kuvira held herself up with both elbows and sighed at her friend’s simplicity. “It’s not that easy. She’s dating Bolin’s brother.” 

Opal faced Kuvira, mimicking her position. “‘Vira, for your peace of mind, you should tell her.”

“She’s my  _ best _ friend. I wouldn’t want to lose our friendship over some stupid little crush.” 

“I’ve known Asami since we were kids and if I’m being honest, I had a little crush on her, too. She’s like the perfect girl.”

Kuvira groaned, “I  _ know _ , Opal, don’t remind me. Is there going to be a ‘but’ in this?”

Her friend chuckled, “ _ But _ the Sato love bug only bites once and then it’s gone. I got over it quickly, so maybe you will too.” She looked at her friend and mumbled underneath her breath, “Well, at least I hope you will.”

  
  


Four years later, Kuvira was lying right beside Opal, in the same position, once again venting about her love troubles. Only this time, the woman she was crazy about had cerulean blue eyes and short brown hair. 

“So, let me get this straight…You  _ kissed _ Korra?”

“Yup.”

“Did she kiss back?”

“I think?” Kuvira lifted herself up, so she was sitting cross-legged on her bed. “She definitely didn’t push me away or stopped me.” 

Opal asked, “Did she say anything afterwards?” 

“I didn’t really let her.” 

Opal thought for a moment, then said, “So, Korra’s basically going to have to choose between  _ you _ or Asami…”

Kuvira nodded, “Mhmm. Right after the kiss, I told her I’d give her some time to think about what it meant and well, when she’s ready, she’ll let me know.” She sighed, “Then, I left without letting her say anything else.”

“And how long has it been?”

Kuvira counted the days on her fingers, “About a week. We still act normal around each other at work and we text sometimes, but other than that, she really... hasn’t mentioned it.” After a moment, Kuvira covered her face with her hands. “ _ Fuck. _ That’s not a good sign, right Ope?”

Opal held onto her friend’s hands, forcing Kuvira to look at her. “‘Vira, whatever she decides, it won’t have any indication on who  _ you _ are or how you love. You’re  _ incredible _ and anyone would be lucky to have you. If Korra doesn’t get that, then that’s on her.” 

Kuvira’s lips tugged upwards to a small smile. 

~~~

Asami walked through the city’s downtown plaza, heels clicking on the brick floor. She arrived at Uncle Iroh’s stall and noticed the thin, red ceramic vase holding bright red lilies sitting on top of the counter. A yellow bow was neatly tied below the opening. A smile formed at her red lips as she began appreciating the old man’s pleasant gesture. He had done this every year without Asami having to ask for or mention it.

She walked into the stall and gave her friend a tight embrace. “Thank you, Iroh.” 

“Of course, Miss Asami.” When the two let go, Uncle Iroh searched the veridiscint eyes he had begun to care for. “Take care of yourself today.” 

Asami nodded and handed the old man more than enough money to pay for his troubles. Before Uncle Iroh could say anything, the heiress grabbed the vase and walked away. She held onto the flowers for dear life. 

  
  


When Asami had reached the large stone arch that she was all too familiar with, her heart began to race, a lump forming in her throat. She forced herself to walk in between the headstones that were perfectly lined in rows,  _ click clack, click clack. _

Once she got to the black marble headstone she was so afraid to meet again, she noticed the white vase and bouquet of orange lilies that rested on the grass, and couldn’t help but frown. Her mother  _ hated _ the color orange. Asami reached for the vase and saw the note card that was badly taped on. Her frown deepened at the realization that the scratchy handwriting was her father’s. She shook her head in disappointment at the thought of her own father not knowing such a minor detail. After throwing the vase in the trash, she replaced the spot it once held with the red one she was holding onto. 

_ Red _ was Yasuko Sato’s color. To commemorate this, Asami made it her own, too. The red heels she wore were now sinking onto the grass, but she didn’t care. She kneeled down, so her head was leveled to the tombstone. With a shaky hand, Asami touched the gold letters that spelled out her mother’s name.

“I’m sorry I don’t come as often anymore. I’ve been working a lot.”

Not knowing what else to say, she paused. After a couple of minutes, she tried again. “I’m working on 6 South again. I love the oncology unit, but something’s making me stay. Well,  _ someone  _ is _.” _

Afraid to continue, she bit her tongue, but a sudden wave of calmness began overcoming her, urging her to finish the train of thought.

“Her...Her name’s Korra.” She gently rubbed the letters engraved on the marble. “I know I never came out to you and if I could turn back time, I would have.” 

Asami took a deep breath and slowly let it out through pursed lips. “Mom, I’m bisexual. I-I like both men and women.” Relief instantly filled her entire being and she felt warm all over. Something inside her heart made her believe that Yasuko had accepted the secret she had held onto forever. A cool, soothing breeze began to flow through her hair, as if persuading her to continue. Her red lips formed a smile and she couldn’t stop the single tear that was now rolling down her cheek. 

“So, her name’s Korra…”

  
  


After a long moment talking about the woman she was falling for, Asami kissed the headstone goodbye.

When the heiress got inside her car, she grabbed her phone and let her finger hover over her father’s contact. Hiroshi Sato had not been a present parent ever since Asami had graduated from college, but she called him at the same time every year. She knew that her mother’s death anniversary was  _ always _ a depressing moment for the both of them. Though she had learned to be more resilient and accepting, it was the opposite for Hiroshi.

Asami finally clicked the call button. “Hey, dad.”

“Hey, sweetheart.”

Asami could immediately hear the drunkenness in his voice. “I was just checking up on you. Are you doing okay?”

“Yes, of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s mom’s-”

“Do you need any more money? I can send you a couple grand. Anything for my daughter.”

Just like every year, Hiroshi had dodged her attempt to talk about her mother and just like every year, instant regret plagued her.

“Dad, no. You know I’m making my own money now. I can support myself.”

Her father hiccuped into the phone. “I know, I know. You’re all grown up.” After a small pause, he continued, “I have to go now.” 

Asami was left to sit alone in the silence of her car. She put the key in the ignition and gunned for the bar. If her father could drown himself in his sorrow, then so could she.

~~~

Korra sat on the small couch in the living room, flipping through the channels. It had been a week since Kuvira’s _ kiss _ and Asami’s  _ confession  _ and Korra couldn’t get both women out of her mind. 

Luckily, Kya had given her Mako to orient with this week instead of Asami. Though Mako had been as stiff as a brick the entire three days he took charge, Korra was glad that the older nurse was more task oriented than their peers. It gave her an opportunity to avoid the war zone that was created by the two commanders of 6 South, Asami and Kuvira. That’s what she was doing now, trying to avoid the death traps and explosives that were strategically placed by both of them.

At work, Kuvira would try to corner her into talking about the kiss while Asami stared at them angrily in the corner. At the same time, Asami would approach her and get too touchy or flirty in the presence of Kuvira. She never brought up the confession or the kiss to either woman, though the voice inside her head was telling her to explain to each of them what was going on. To Korra, it wasn’t fair for either of them to be led on, but every time she tried to formulate an explanation, her nursing duties would interrupt the thought and she would be at square one again. 

And square one looked like this: Asami’s confession felt so  _ right _ , but was done at the wrong time. Kuvira’s kiss was done so  _ perfectly _ , but didn’t exactly feel right. 

Korra groaned loudly at her back-and-forth thoughts.

“K, if you don’t pick a damn channel, I’m taking away your TV privileges!” Bolin set the bowl of popcorn on the table and sat next to his friend.

Korra sighed, face plastered on the pillow she was hugging. “I’m so  _ bad  _ at choosing.”

“Uh, yeah, I can tell.”

“What if I want to watch the show starring the intense, powerhouse of a woman who’s also soft and caring underneath? But what if I also like the show with the beautiful, strong woman lead who’s also mean, but has a heart of gold?  _ UGH _ , why do I have to choose!?”

Bolin gawked at Korra in confusion, then snatched the remote out of her hands. “Fine, I’ll choose!”

Korra slumped into the couch.

Her roommate rolled his eyes. “You’re so dramatic.” 

  
  


After a couple of movies Korra wasn’t really paying attention to later, she decided it was a good time to hit the bar. She grabbed the oversized red flannel from her closet and left Bolin, who was knocked out on the couch, and Opal, who still wasn’t home, a note to where she was heading to. After taking the entire day overthinking about Asami and Kuvira, all she wanted to do was get drunk and lose the memories that involved either of them, even if it was just for a single night. 

The walk to downtown Republic City was always so peaceful and that’s why Korra never drove, or at least that’s what she told herself. It had been a month since she was behind the wheel. Nightmares of her accident have been sneaking into her recent sleepless nights. A couple of melatonin pills couldn’t even ease the sounds of ambulance sirens and her own screams spilling from her throat. 

As she wandered through the brick path of the plaza, she noticed a group of teenagers walking towards their vehicle, laughing and joking around. Korra reminisced back to her teenage years, when her friends would stack themselves together in her car like a pack of sardines and they would drive around the backroads of their city. 

Korra was a  _ reckless  _ child. Her parents, both important council members for the Southern Water Tribe, had been neglectful while she was growing up. Though they had given her every new toy and new car she ever wanted, the one thing they never gave her was their time. Senna and Tonraq  _ tried _ to be as involved as they were able to be, but being council members took over half of their day on most days. This gave Korra some wiggle room to be as wild and as carefree as ever. Unbeknownst to her parents, this was something they would forever regret. 

The Inuit thought back to when she woke up in the hospital bed, suffocated by the body cast plastered on her. Korra’s accident resulted in a number of broken ribs, a spine fracture, and broken femurs, but that wasn’t what hurt her. The most painful part of that day was learning that her best friend Chen was killed in the accident. Though Bui had retold the story over and over again, emphasizing that Chen’s deflated tires had caused them to veer off of the road, Korra couldn’t help but blame herself. It had been  _ her _ who wanted to race to begin with. It was  _ her _ who had caused the car to swerve away from the road. 

Korra’s thoughts were interrupted by the change of atmosphere as she entered Raava. The serenity of the busy plaza was replaced by yelling and a small crowd gathering towards the noise. Korra knew that voice anywhere. She forcefully squeezed herself through a number of people, towards the bar counter. 

“ _ You _ need to keep serving me. Don’t you know that, that my dad owns half of this bar?”

Korra powered through to get to the woman slumped over the bar counter. She faced the bartender, “What’s going on here?”

“Miss Sato has been here the entire day and unfortunately, I can’t keep condoning... _ this _ .” The young bartender motioned towards Asami, whose face was now on the counter, surrounded by glasses. 

Korra shooed away the crowd beginning to form and paid for Asami’s tab. She swung the heiress’s arm around her shoulders and walked towards the exit. 

“What’re  _ you _ doing here?”

“Asami, I have to take you home.”

When the two nurses finally got outside, it had started raining.  _ Well, I guess walking isn’t an option. _ As if Asami heard her thoughts, she fished through her coat pockets and handed Korra her keys. The younger nurse hesitantly grabbed it from her hands.  _ Shit. _

The vehicle Asami had taken to the bar was the same white Mercedes Maybach they had ridden in a couple of weeks before. Korra, now sitting in the driver’s side, cursed the spirits that seemed to have something against her. She rested her head on the steering wheel while Asami was quietly snoring in the passenger’s seat. Korra was  _ definitely _ not ready to drive, especially not one of Asami’s prized possessions. 

After a moment, Korra looked at the sleeping heiress. The tint of pink flushing over her cheeks contrasted her soft, snowy skin. Korra couldn’t help but think that Asami looked absolutely  _ ethereal _ . She sighed to herself, “I have to take you home.” 

Korra gulped and prepared herself to drive. She cracked all of her knuckles, double checked her mirrors, and put on her seatbelt. Soon, she was driving on the streets towards Avatar Street.

After a couple of minutes driving around the neighborhood, Korra realized she didn’t know just exactly where Asami lived. She was too preoccupied with trying to be a present, safe driver. She pulled over to the side of the street and shook the older nurse awake. “Uh, ‘Sami, what’s your address?”

The other woman groggily mumbled, “Condos by your apartment. Top floor.”

Korra nodded and headed towards the condos.

~~~

The inside of Asami’s home reminded Korra of the hospital. The white, blank walls were eerily similar to the ones she had familiarized herself with at work. The first thing she noticed was just how empty and lonely it felt. Sure, the white marble counters and white pine flooring made the condo look expensive and elegant, but Korra wouldn’t consider it comfortable or homey at all. 

The older nurse had spread herself on the red and black L-shaped couch. As Korra was about to leave Asami’s abode, she noticed the wet bodycon dress that was sticking onto white skin. 

“I can’t leave you like this, you’ll get sick.” She forced herself back inside and walked around the house, trying to find Asami’s room.

Just like the walls of the living room, Asami’s room was covered in the ghostly white paint. Her bedroom looked modern and neat, something out of a home catalogue. The only thing that made it seem like someone was actually living there was the neatly stacked medical books on the bedside table. Korra noticed the floor-to-ceiling windows that had a clear view of the plaza and she couldn’t help herself from staring out. Enthralled by the activities of the night, she watched in awe at the bustling city goers and night owls walking from store to store. 

After a short moment, she shook herself from the trance. She whispered to herself, “What are you  _ doing _ , Korra?! Kuvira’s waiting for your response and you’re  _ inside _ the other woman’s house?  _ Fuck, fuck, fuck. _ ” The Inuit paced towards Asami’s closet. “Okay, I’ll get her clothes to change into and then I’m leaving.” She grabbed a pair of pajama shorts and a t-shirt and walked herself out. 

Asami was still the same as she left her, extended over the large couch. Korra sat on the floor beside her, “Asami…’Sami, wake up.” After a couple of grumbles, she gave up trying to wake up the heiress. “Fine, I’ll change you myself.”

The Inuit unzipped the tight dress and tried to softly pull the fabric down towards Asami’s long legs. Realizing that the woman beside her was essentially almost naked, Korra began to blush. She stopped her mind from roaming and kept herself focused on the task at hand.  _ She’s your friend. You’re doing her a favor.  _ Once Asami was changed into more comfortable clothes, Korra took the wet clothes and put it in the washer.  _ Asami will definitely appreciate this. _

When she got back to the living room, the heiress seemed to be sleeping soundly in her own world. Korra took her place on the floor and sighed. “Even when you’re sleeping, you still look so beautiful.” 

A short moment later, she laid on the cool floor, covering her face with her arm. “Asami, you’re  _ killing _ me. I like you so, so much, but you can be so cold.” Korra sighed again, “And Kuvira… She's been so consistent with me. I just, it feels so right with you-” Her inner monologue was interrupted by soft sobbing. The Inuit looked up to see Asami sitting, staring at her. 

Korra quickly sat herself up. “I’m sorry, I thought you were asleep. I-”

“You… think I’m cold, too?”

“No, no! I was just-”

Asami began raising her voice, “You think I’m a bitch just like everybody else and I’ve been...so  _ stupid _ throwing myself at you.”

Korra could still hear the intoxication in the nurse’s voice. She softened at the realization from the words that came out of her. Asami felt like everyone was against her and for Korra, that was not the case. To Korra, Asami wasn’t the villain that everybody thought she was. 

“I don’t think that.” The Inuit stood up and sat beside the sobbing Asami. Forcing green eyes to reach her own, she started, “I think you’re incredible. You cross my mind every single second of the day and I can’t stop. Asami, I like you so much it’s almost unbearable, but-”

The heiress suddenly grabbed onto Korra and buried her head into the crook of her neck. Asami circled her arms around the younger nurse and  _ cried. _ She let the tears roll down her cheeks without any restraints. Realizing that this was the first time she fully cried over Kuvira leaving, her father disowning her, all of the years she spent alone, she finally let the weight of it all consume her. The anger, hurt, frustration, pain, and loneliness from the last three and a half years hit her all at once, but Korra had welcomed these emotions. The Inuit held onto her tighter and tighter, drawing small circles on her back. Asami was safe.

~~~

Korra stared up at the white ceiling. She was now laying on the couch, Asami peacefully sleeping on top of her chest. It had been a couple of hours since the heiress’s sudden moment and it had taken her a while to calm her breathing. 

Asami’s head was still firmly resting on the crook of her neck, lips gently pressing on her skin. Her coconut shampoo made Korra feel warm all over. Looking at the clock hanging on the wall, she realized it was two in the morning and the two had to be on the unit in a few hours. She decided it was no use to wake Asami up and go home at this hour, so she tried to get a couple of hours of rest. 

Before falling asleep, Korra surveyed the room and an overwhelming feeling of emptiness came over her. This must be what Asami felt like. She held onto the woman in her arms as tight as she could, promising to never let her feel like that again. The problems of the day could wait to be solved another time, right now, the nurse was where she needed to be. 


	7. Watch Your Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, friends! i've been busy with everything and anything all weekend ): how was your weekend, anything totally *insane* happen?
> 
> hennyways, here's a relatively short chapter, enjoy :) per uuuuusual, let me know your thoughts! ;)
> 
> i've also decided to finally title my chapter hehe

Feeling the warmth radiating from the body underneath her, Asami snuggled in closer and closer. The scent of lavender and honey smelled like home, filling her entire being with more warmth than she ever endured. 

_ Wait, who the  _ fuck _ is this?! _

Realizing that she might have taken a stranger home from the bar last night, Asami immediately fluttered her eyes open. She stared wide-eyed at the smooth, honey-colored skin glowing from the morning brightness that had invaded through the living room. Korra’s mouth was opened slightly, soft snores were escaping her lips. Asami could stare at the woman forever. 

Noticing the position they were in, the heiress tried to wiggle herself out of Korra’s tight embrace. How did Korra get inside her home? More importantly, why had she stayed the night? Asami couldn’t even try to answer these questions because right as she stood up from the couch, the hangover headache hit her like a truck. She groaned at the pain and walked towards her room.  _ Painkillers _ .  _ Water _ . Before heading into the hallway, she looked back at the sleeping Korra. Asami smiled at how adorable the woman looked. 

~~~

The buzzing in her phone pocket wasn’t what woke Korra up that morning, but the feeling of the weight shifting on top of her did. She shot up from the couch and searched around the room. Asami was gone. The phone quickly got her attention and in an instant, she held it close to her ear. 

“Korra! Where are you?! And get the phone out of your ear. We’re on facetime, idiot.”

The Inuit ran a hand through her brown hair and moved the phone so it was facing her.  _ Shit.  _ It was seven in the morning and she was late to work. “I-I’m coming right now!” 

Opal squinted, trying to piece together where her friend was. “Where are you?”

“Uh, I was at the bar last night and uh…”

The phone moved away from Opal and suddenly Bolin was on the screen. “Oh my spirits! Don’t tell me you got drunk and got taken home last night!” He dramatically gasped, covering his mouth with a hand. “I thought you were the responsible one in the group!”

Opal then took the phone back. “First of all,  _ I’m _ the responsible one. Second, you better get your ass on the unit quick! I told Kya you’d be a little late today because of family reasons, but you definitely need to be here before nine!” 

Korra sighed into the phone. “Thank you, Ope. I’ll be there soon.”

Before hanging up, Opal moved away from Bolin and whispered, “And you better not let Kuvira find out about whatever you did last night.” 

Korra sighed again and threw the phone across the couch, landing on a pillow. After a moment, she stood up and started gathering her flannel and keys that were still on the floor, exactly where she left it last night. Feeling the presence of another person watching her, she looked up to see jade gems locked on her. 

“G-goodmorning.” Korra could barely stutter a greeting. Asami looked beautiful with her hair up in a messy bun.

“What happened last night?”

_ All right, straight to the point.  _ Korra stood up to face the woman and explained the events that had occurred the night before. 

“ _ Fuck _ . I’m sorry you had to see me like that,” Asami responded. She looked off to the side, unable to meet Korra’s eyes. 

“To see you like what? The only thing on my mind last night was getting you home safe.” She approached closer to the heiress. “I was really worried about you, ‘Sami.”

Finally, Asami met her gaze. Korra could swear she saw a tint of pink show on her cheeks. “I’m okay now, thanks to you.” Asami motioned Korra to follow her into the open kitchen. There, the two sat on the marble counter. 

Korra asked, “Are you not going to work?”

“No, I called off. Kya knows that this week is going to be hard for me.”

The Inuit raised an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

“Yesterday was the day my mother passed away.”

Korra’s eyes widened at the realization that that was the reason why the heiress was so shaken up. She reached for the pale hands resting on the counter. 

Asami melted at the touch. She stared at their hands, fingers intertwined, and smiled. She couldn’t help but think about how perfect their hands fit. Just like putting together two puzzle pieces, it felt so right. After a moment she said, “Let me make you breakfast.”

“No, no, it’s okay! I don’t want to trouble yo-”

“Korra, let me do this. I overheard you talking to Opal. I know you’re going into work at nine and Kya’s probably going to give you my run. You need something in your system before the chaos of today starts.”

Korra couldn’t help the smile beginning to sneak onto her face. 

  
  
  


Momentarily, Asami had eggs frying in one pan and bacon in another. She figured Korra would appreciate the double protein meal she was preparing. 

“‘Sami, do you need a hand?”

The heiress turned from the stove and asked, “You can cook?”

“I love when you answer my question with another question.” Korra rose from the stool and began walking towards the other nurse. “Nope, but I can definitely try for you.”

Asami moved over so that Korra was able to look over the bacon. “The longer you keep it on the pan, the crispier it gets. See?” She moved her attention to the piece of meat sizzling in the small pan.

Korra moved closer to Asami, so that she was hovering over her shoulder. “Oh, is that so?”

“Yeah,” Asami breathed. She looked over and was instantly met with the most beautiful gaze. Seeing Korra up close surprised the heiress more than she would admit. Looking at her felt like  _ summertime.  _ Asami was swimming in ocean blue eyes and intoxicated on full, pink lips _. _ Her mind was more scrambled than the eggs in the pan. 

Korra’s head suddenly shot towards the stove, “Oh,  _ fuck _ ! The bacon!” The room flooded with the smell of burnt bacon and a thin layer of smoke began to form all around them. The fire alarm started beeping in an annoying, loud yell.

“Korra, you were supposed to watch that!” She quickly turned off the stove and Korra started fanning the room with her flannel. 

A few minutes later, the two women sat on the living room floor, sharing a plate of eggs and a couple of bacon pieces Asami barely salvaged.

“Well, this wasn’t the breakfast I planned in my head this morning.”

Korra giggled, “But I still wouldn’t change a thing.” She smiled up at the heiress, “ Thank you. It’s perfect.”  _ As long as you’re here with me. _

~~~

Korra sped walked up to the unit, clutching onto her clipboard. She indulged in the presence of Asami for longer than she wanted, forcing her to rush into work. The older nurse had let her borrow a set of maroon scrubs and without even brushing out her hair or looking into a mirror, Korra slipped into it. Asami had driven her to the hospital to cut the time and the two hours they had spent together had suddenly felt like ten minutes. 

Once the Inuit had gotten into the unit, Opal was already motioning for her to follow her in the break room. Kuvira, who was preoccupied in the nursing station, had her emerald eyes trailing after them. 

“Korra, what’s on your neck?” Opal asked once they entered the break room.

The younger nurse reached for the side of her neck and rubbed it. She stared at her hand, noticing the red smudge, which was undeniably from Asami’s lipstick. “Uh-”

“You  _ really _ slept with someone last night!” 

Korra shook her head, a little too aggressively. “N-no, no! I-” She gulped. “-I was at Asami’s and-”

“ _ Spirits, _ you fucked Asami?! Shit, if Kuvira finds out-”

“No! Opal,  _ listen _ to me!” She grabbed the other woman’s shoulders and forced their eyes to meet. Opal stayed silent as she listened to Korra’s explanation, too sped up to fully understand.

Stunned, Opal asked, “Wait, so you’re going after Asami, then? Have you told ‘Vira?”

Korra paced around the break room. “Opal, I don’t know! Asami makes my heart beat out of my chest and Kuv, she makes me feel so safe.”

“K, I’m saying this as your friend and roommate. If you don’t want to hurt Kuvira or, or even Asami, you have to make a choice and be sure about it.”

“I-I know, Ope. I will. I just, I have to find the right time.” She sighed and the stress took ahold of her once again. 

  
  


The shift was slower than Korra had anticipated. Asami was right, Kya had given her her usual run and Asami’s patients were not easy, but the older Inuit gave her an opportunity to redeem herself. Korra was definitely not going to disappoint her mentor twice. She needed today to be a good one. She needed to show everyone she could handle being an independent nurse.

By lunch time, Korra was on top of her schedule. She had gotten all of her orders from the doctors, passed the meds, and checked all of her patients. Now, it was time for her much needed moment of peace. She went to the cafe, intentionally by herself and found a table in the corner. Korra looked through her text messages and instantly grinned when she saw Asami’s name pop up. The heiress had sent her a picture of the clothes she had put in the washer last night. The red dress was accidentally washed with Asami’s whites, turning the t-shirts and undershirts pink. The Inuit laughed aloud and texted a message of apology.

“You seem happy for someone having family problems.”

Korra jumped from her seat, “Oh, uh, I-”

Kuvira smirked, “Don’t worry, you don’t have to explain anything to me. I get it. Been there.”

“You-you have?”

“Yeah. Sometimes you don’t want to roll out of bed in the morning and you sleep in a little. We make that excuse all the time. Besides, mornings are evil.”

Korra blinked, “Oh, yeah. I was just, uh, sleeping. Yup.”

The other nurse reached for her hand and she flinched at the contact. “Woah, hey. You okay? You seem a little jumpy.”

“Yeah. I- Kuv....” The Inuit paused and rubbed the back of her neck. “I have to tell you something.” Kuvira gave her a small nod, wanting her to continue. Korra took a deep breath in and let it out. She started again, “The reason I was late this morning was because I-I was with Asami last night.” Korra could see the smirk fall from Kuvira’s face, lips turned into a straight line. 

It took Kuvira a while to respond to her comment. The wheels turning in the intense woman’s head was almost noticeable. After a couple of minutes, she said, “Okay.”

“Are you upset?” 

Kuvira sighed and shrugged, “No, of course not. You’re your own woman, you can do whatever you want with whoever you want. I don’t  _ own _ you. I know Asami wants you, but  _ I _ do too.” She searched Korra’s eyes. “There’s something you should know about me, Korra. I  _ always  _ get what I want.”

“Kuvira-” Before Korra could finish her sentence, Bolin and Mako sat at the table, lunch trays in hand.

Mako asked, “Did you two get invited to Kya’s birthday party?” The two women nodded in sync.

Bolin laughed, pieces of food falling from his mouth. “Mako’s the  _ only _ one who didn’t get invited! Even Jinora and Kai got an invitation.”

“That’s because Jinora’s her niece, stupid. Aaand Kai’s Jinora’s boyfriend. ” Mako rolled his eyes. 

Korra raised an eyebrow in question, “Why do you want to be invited to Kya’s party anyway? Can’t you just be Bolin’s plus one?”

“Why  _ wouldn’t  _ you want to party with Kya’s family?! Last year, they had a mini concert in the backyard. The year before that, they had waterslides and popcorn and cotton candy!” Bolin lifted his arms in the air in excitement.

Kuvira nodded, “Alright, this is my cue to leave. The conversation is now drier than your elbows, Bolin.”

Bolin slumped in his seat, covering his arms with his sleeves, “Does that mean you aren’t going, Kuv?”

The nurse shrugged and walked away, plate in hand. 

Mako sighed, “What’s wrong with her? She’s kind of...bitchier than usual.”

Korra watched the woman walk towards the elevators, a little more vigor in her steps. She let the last comment Kuvira said to her simmer in her mind. 

~~~

Kuvira wasn’t stupid. She knew Korra had been with Asami the night before. Who else wore red lipstick and wanted to take Korra out from under her? What she wanted was for the Inuit to confess, to be honest and understand that she had done something bad. Kuvira tried to keep her cool in front of her, but on the inside she wanted to confront Asami and tell her to fuck off. Asami had everything she could possibly want and need, isn’t that enough? Why did she need to have Korra, too?

The nurse faced the mirror in the bathroom she had decided to take refuge in. She needed to calm herself from the torment of knowing that Asami was so close to Korra that she was able to taste her skin. She explored the eyes looking back at her and she could almost see the betrayal and  _ hate _ she was feeling in them. Now, it was war. Asami better watch her back.


	8. Push & Pull

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, friends! this is the calm before the storm, enjoy it while it lasts ;)
> 
> let me know what your thoughts are!

“Korra, you’re with Asami today. You did so good with her run last week that I think you can do it again today. Asami will be supervising you, but you’ll be the primary nurse,” Kya explained. 

The two nurses looked at each other from across the room, a goofy grin forming on Korra’s face matching Asami’s smile. Kuvira, who was seated right next to the Inuit, crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. 

Kya coughed. “And I hope you all didn’t forget, but tonight is my birthday-” A wave of ‘happy birthdays’ and small cheers erupted in the room. “-so let’s have a good day and have an even better night!”

The team scattered for morning reports. Before Korra could leave, Kuvira pulled her by the elbow back into the conference room. 

“Are you going to be okay with Asami today?”

“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Kuvira shrugged, “Well, the last time you got in the way of her run, she messed things up for you.” She crossed her arms and looked away, “I know you said you didn’t need any saving. I get that, but Korra, I _care_ about you. If you need any help on the floor, I’m here.”

Korra saw the sincerity in her friend’s eyes and couldn’t help but smile. Kuvira always had her back and the thought made her feel so secured. After a moment, she began, “I know, Kuv. Of course I see that, but Asami, she isn’t who you think she is. She’s not some villain that’s going to fuck everyone over.”

Kuvira’s face hardened and her posture stiffened. “Asami at work isn’t the same as Asami at... _home_.”

“If you’re upset about that, you can tell me. You can be honest. I know I hurt you.”

“No, I’m not upset and it’s okay. You’re sprung over Miss Perfect, everyone usually is to begin with, but eventually it’ll fade away. That’s why I want you to keep thinking over what _our_ kiss meant, what _I_ mean to you.” The powerhouse of a woman eyed Korra’s pink lips. “And if you need a reminder of what it felt like, you don’t even need to ask.” Without giving the Inuit a chance to even blink, she strode out of the room.

The Inuit thought for a moment. If there was a slight chance Kuvira was right, that Korra was just blinded by Asami’s beautiful face and luscious hair, then every moment they shared was never real. If Kuvira was wrong, and Korra so badly hoped that she was, then Korra had made her choice already. One thing Korra was sure of, though, was that Kuvira definitely knew what she wanted and Asami didn’t.

~~~

Korra trotted behind Asami as she made her way through the hallways. 

“Miss Waters, where have you been?”

The younger nurse raised her eyebrows, humor in her voice. “‘Miss Waters’, huh? We slept together and we’re _still_ on a last name basis? What does a woman gotta do to get some love?”

Asami stopped in her tracks, a serious expression on her face.“First off, we didn’t _sleep_ together. You were there for me that night and I’m very grateful, but-”

“But what? Now you’re just going to push me away again?” Her eyebrows knit together in frustration, a pout forming on her face.

Asami sighed, “Look, Korra, I know I said I had feelings for you, but I _can’t_ do this.”

Korra stared up at the other nurse, forcing them to lock eyes. “What’s this about, ‘Sami? Can you be honest to me for once and, and not run away?”

“I see how you are with Kuvira. I see the glances she steals when you’re not looking. I see how the two of you purposely sit next to each other or take breaks at the same time.” She bit her lip. “I know about the _kiss_ , Korra.”

The Inuit stood there, stunned. “I-I was going to tell you, ‘Sami, but there was just so much going on and-” She sighed. “-And I have no excuse. I’m sorry.”

Asami gave her a smile and Korra instantly knew Asami had plastered on yet another mask. “It’s okay.” The older nurse handed her the small stack of papers she didn’t know she had been intensely gripping. “Let’s just get back to work, okay?”

Korra grabbed the papers and nodded. Kuvira was right again. There were two different versions of Asami and Korra couldn’t tell which was the real version of her anymore.

~~~

“So, how did my lip gloss taste?”

Asami turned around, “Excuse me?”

Kuvira moved herself from the wall she was leaning against and walked towards the other nurse. In a harsher tone, she repeated, “How’d my lip gloss taste on Korra’s lips the other night?”

Asami suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She knew that the two of them had feelings for the same woman, but didn’t know just how far Kuvira and Korra’s relationship actually went. She furrowed her eyebrows together. “Get the _fuck_ away from her, Kuvira.”

“Korra doesn’t want me to leave her alone. Don’t you get it? She sits next to me, she takes her breaks with me, she _wants_ to be around me.”

The rage bubbling inside her was almost too much to bear, but she bit her tongue and attempted to placate her feelings. “You might have Korra fooled, but I _know_ the kind of person you are, Kuvira. You hurt people and you leave them. Korra doesn’t need that and I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep you away from her.”

“And you think Korra won’t leave _you_?” She smirked. “Think about it. There’s a reason why everyone leaves you.” Kuvira strutted away, leaving the heiress stunned. 

_Kuvira could be lying, right? They didn’t kiss, did they? Korra couldn’t have made out with my ex-best friend and then was all lovey dovey to me right after. That’s...That’s not the Korra I know._

Asami rubbed the bridge of her nose with two fingers. She was almost certain that Korra had reciprocated her feelings back that morning. She was sure that the chemistry was there, that it felt so right, so natural. How else would she explain all of the fuzzy feelings she felt and sparks she saw whenever they touched? Then again, Korra and Kuvira both seemed so close. What if Korra was just another Mako? Another Kuvira? Bolin, Opal? Asami sighed and walked into the unit. Today was definitely going to be a bad day. 

  
  
  


“Uh, ‘Sami? Do you want me to apply a mepilex on his sacrum?”

Korra’s voice brought Asami back to reality. “What?”

The younger nurse cleared her throat. “Mr. Ito has some redness on his lower back. It’ll be a good idea if I stuck a mepilex on him, right?”

Asami blinked, “Oh. Um, yeah. We don’t want him to have a pressure ulcer. Go ahead.” She turned her focus back to the computer screen in front of her.

“Wait, are you okay?” Korra rubbed the other nurse’s back. 

“Mhmm.” Asami tried not to melt into the touch, so she forced herself up. “Remember to check thirteen’s H&H later.” With that, she walked away from the nurses station, leaving the confused Korra by herself.

~~~

The workday had gone by quickly. Asami observed and supervised Korra’s every move and choice, but that was it. It was as if the heiress had created some unspoken boundary and Korra was too afraid to cross it. Work Asami wasn’t very fun to talk to today. The heiress had made it clear that the only conversation they would have was work-related only. Now, she was doing her last med passes while the woman she undoubtedly had feelings for was on break. 

Jinora tugged on her shirt. “Miss Korra, thirteen’s BP is kind of low.”

“What is it?”

The young girl double checked her clipboard. “Uh, 95 over 60 on the right arm and then 84 over 63 on the left.”

Korra nodded, “Okay, chart the first one. I’ll check on her later, thank you.” She walked into her last patient’s room and saw that Mr. Ito was talking to another nurse. 

“Kuv, what’re you doing?”

Kuvira turned her attention from the patient to Korra, “You need someone to cosign for Ito’s insulin, right? I had him the other day.”

Mr. Ito smiled, “Miss Kuvira is the _best_ nurse I’ve ever had! No offense to you, Miss Korra. Of course, you’re great, too.”

Korra couldn’t help but smile, “Yeah, she is pretty good.”

Suddenly, Asami walked in with the gravest facial expression. “What is _she_ doing here?” She looked towards the other green-eyed woman across the room. 

Kuvira scoffed, “Helping your nurse while you were on break.”

By now, Korra was used to the intense and heavy atmosphere that followed the two glaring nurses, but this time, it felt more substantial. She decided to cut through the heaviness. “Kuvira was just about to cosign for me.”

Again, Asami gave the younger nurse a fake, forced smile. “Okay, I’ll let you do that.” She walked away without saying another word and Korra shook her head.

  
  


After the med pass, Kuvira pulled Korra to one of the nurses stations. “Is she making you upset again?” 

Korra fell on her chair. “No, but you were right. With her, it’s hot and cold.” She faced the nurse, “With you, it’s consistent.”

“You deserve consistency.” Kuvira placed a cold hand on Korra’s and smiled, “I can give you that.”

The younger nurse thought for a moment, but before she could say anything, Opal approached them, a stressed look on her face. 

Kuvira looked up towards the other nurse. “What’s up, Opal?”

“Aunt Lin’s getting on my nerves. She keeps paging me about Kya’s birthday party. She wants me to figure out what kind of cake Kya would want. How am I supposed to do that?!”

“Dude, just _ask_ Kya _,”_ Korra chuckled. 

“Oh, I wish it was that easy! Aunt Lin has been planning this for weeks, but the one thing she forgot to get was the damn cake. The fucking _cake_ , Korra! She doesn’t want me mentioning it to Kya or anything. She told me ‘everything has to be perfect’. The last thing she wants is for Kya to be stressing out about her own cake.”

“Red velvet,” Kuvira said. The other two nurses looked at her. “I saw her eating a red velvet flavored bundt cake last week.”

Opal squealed and gave Kuvira a tight hug, lasting a little longer than normal, “I love you!” She gave the woman a quick kiss on the cheek and jogged towards the break room.

Korra stared at Kuvira, who had a smile she had never seen before smeared on her face. It was a mixture of genuine contentment and heat. What was all that about?

~~~

Asami sat in the break room, staring at the wooden table in the middle of the room. She couldn’t get Korra out of her head. Seeing the Inuit’s confidence spark the entire day and seeing just how she treated her patients was… hot. Asami was addicted and she needed to get her fix, but something in the back of her mind was telling her to drop her infatuation for the nurse. Korra seemed happy around Kuvira. Could Asami give her that? She questioned her ability to love, to give, to care for another being. What if Korra left, just like everybody else? Kuvira definitely got into her head. 

“Miss Asami! You’re not eating lunch with the rest of the crew?”

Asami blinked. “Uh, what? Oh, yeah. I’m just taking a small break.”

Kya took a seat at the table and nodded understandingly. “Sure, sure.” After a few seconds, she asked, “I’m seeing you tonight at my dinner, right?”

“Oh, um, I’m busy tonight. I have to-”

“Miss Asami, you haven’t come over for _three_ years. Meelo and Ikki miss you. Rohan _still_ knows your name. What’s more important than seeing your second family?”

“Okay, okay. I’ll come for a little.” She started walking out of the door, but Kya stopped her.

“So, how was your night with Korra?”

Asami turned around and closed the door. “I- Spirits, does everybody know about that?!” She sighed and fell onto the chair. “We… we didn’t do anything, Kya. She picked me up from the bar and took care of me the entire night. I was a mess and she _stayed_.” She looked up to the charge nurse, “I visited my mom the other day. It had been six whole months since I stepped in the cemetery.”

“And why is that?” Kya asked. 

“I don’t know, I’ve been so busy. If I’m being honest, I’ve been having nightmares again. I see my dad or my mom every time I close my eyes. A-and sometimes I see Kuvira and… I don’t know,” Asami confessed.

The older Inuit reached for her hand. “Do you think being here is triggering those memories? You can go back to your unit, Miss Asami. No hard feelings if you choose to.”

“No! No. I want to be here. It’s the least I could do for everything you’ve done for me.”

Kya gave her a small smile. “Okay, so… Kuvira?” Asami gave her a look of confusion, arching one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. She continued, “You haven’t confronted her?” The heiress shook her head. Kya sighed, “Asami Sato, it has been three years. You know Kuvira won’t talk unless _you_ do.”

“You know what happened, Kya, there’s no way she’d want to talk anymore.” Asami let out a long sigh. “Besides, her and Korra are always attached to the hip and I don’t want to bring Korra into whatever fucked up past we have.”

Kya smirked, “Is this you telling me that you’re falling for the new girl, too?” She threw her hands in the air. “First Kuvira, now you. I guess love is in the air in 6 South, huh?”

“Wait, wait, you know about Kuvira and Korra?” She scratched the top of her head. “Uh, what have you heard, um exactly?”

Kya chuckled, “Oh, look at you and your puppy love eyes. All I know is that Kuvira’s chasing after Korra, and has been since the day we hired her, but Korra’s stuck because _IIII_ think she’s clinging onto somebody else.”

“Somebody else?” Asami’s face fell. 

Kya chuckled again, this time louder than the last. The nurse gave her a funny look. “Asami, for the most brilliant nurse I know, you can be a little dumb sometimes. It’s _you_ , dummy!”

Asami blinked, long eyelashes fluttering open and close. “Wait, me? But her and Kuvira-”

Suddenly, the door swung open, causing the two to look towards the direction. Kuvira walked in, clutching on to her lunch bag. She gave a charming smile, “Happy birthday, Miss Kya!”

Kya rose from her seat and gave the nurse a hug. “Ah, thank you! I’m seeing you there tonight, yes?”

Kuvira nodded, keeping the smile on her face. Kya gave her a smile back and walked out of the room. The smile Kuvira held fell and she began glaring at Asami. “Hiding out here won’t get Korra to like you.”

The other woman was clenching her fists, nails digging into snowy skin. “You got into my head today. You made me overthink about the feelings Korra and I share-”

“Oh, please! What feelings?!”

“Kuvira, I know you _hate_ me, I know you think I’m the biggest bitch, but leave Korra out of _our_ feud. I know you’re only doing this to get back at me!”

Kuvira rolled her eyes and faced the woman, “Not everything is about _you_ , Little Miss Perfect. You have everything you could possibly want. I will _not_ let you get Korra, too. She’s _mine._ ”

“You’re _really_ going to have to try to take Korra away, because _I’m_ not letting her go.” The heiress was now gritting her teeth together. 

Kuvira could see the fire glistening in her eyes and she smirked. “Fine, then. I’ll. Do. Just. That.”

~~~

Korra walked out of the unit with her roommates. The day had gone by extremely slow, but Korra gave it her all and it paid off. Before the shift ended, Kya had given her the go to start the next shift as an independent, primary nurse. The excitement she should be feeling was diminished by the feeling of hesitation and uncertainty. Asami had given her the cold shoulder all day until about lunch time, where she had miraculously changed her attitude and suddenly, the woman didn’t hate Korra anymore. It was _exhausting._ One moment, Asami would push her away and the next, Korra was being pulled back, but she let her. She didn’t know why, but she let her. 

“Korra, you’re carpooling with us to Kya’s, right?”

Korra’s train of thought was dissolved by Opal’s question. She shook her head no as she opened the car door and sat in the back of her friend’s SUV. 

Bolin cried, “What?! Korra, you _have_ to go!”

“I’m just too tired, Bo.” The Inuit sighed and looked through the window. 

Opal started the vehicle and pulled out of the parking lot. “Okay, if this is about Asami and Kuvira, screw them. They can’t dictate whether you should or shouldn’t have fun. Besides, nursing _legends_ \- no, scratch that, _medical legends_ will be at that party. If you don’t go, that’s a wasted opportunity for networking and getting your foot in the door for cool ass research!”

Bolin nodded in agreement and faced Korra. “Yeah, exactly what Opal said. Pluuuus, we’re going to drink and drink and _drink_!”

“Bo, you’re DD today, remember? It’s your turn, bud.”

“Uuugh, really? Korra can’t you be DD-”

Korra sprung up from her seat. “No! I mean, uh, no, I can’t.” Her two friends looked at her, worried. “I-I’ll go. I could use a drink.”

“Guess you’re DD, Bo!”

He groaned loudly. “Aaalright.”

  
Korra sighed and watched the sea as their vehicle drove through the bridge back to the city. She focused on the sight of the waves crashing onto the boulders planted along the shoreline. Something about the water, the motion of tugging and pulling, calmed her anxiety. In contrast, Asami's own pushing and pulling gave her just the opposite. Korra knew that the time was ticking, knew she needed to choose between two brilliant women, but the woman that was creating ripples in her own sea of emotions was far from her reach. Did this mean she should choose the next best thing?

Kuvira had given her comfort, safety, consistency. She was arrogant, but loyal. Tough, but caring. Intense, but warm. Even after all of those perfect qualities, Korra just couldn't give herself the courage to grasp them. She couldn't bring herself to imagine a future where the hands she was holding wasn't pale and perfectly manicured. Her mind couldn't formulate a perfect future that didn't have raven black hair and jade-colored eyes.

That night, Korra had promised herself that she wouldn't let Asami drown in waves of loneliness and she wanted so badly to try and fulfill it, but the heiress was too stubborn to see how much Korra had wanted her. Korra was _exhausted._ The obvious choice was right in front of her, but maybe the obvious choice wasn't the _right_ one anymore.


	9. The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, friends! so the other day, i got floated to the covid-19 unit at work. omg i was so terrified eeep, but it's all good in the hood! i'm here, trying to live my best life :D 
> 
> before ya'll read though, i made a... discord server so we can interact more! https://discord.gg/eUHG7XBYFA join if you want or don't, no hard feelings :)
> 
> so, i guess my "calm" wasn't the definition all ya'll were thinking about hehe, but even so, here's the storm! i'm evil, forgive me pls? 🥺💖

Korra, Opal, and Bolin walked onto the courtyard of the Air Temple home. The ten story building resembled a vertical palace, a castle, a chateau. Korra gaped at the sight, awestruck at just how beautiful Katara’s family home was. A sense of familiarity breezed through the Inuit, causing her to shiver. _This_ was it. If Korra wanted to make a name for herself in the medical community, this was the exact opportunity for her to network with high-profile medical personnels. 

The three friends began walking through the courtyard, eyeing the doctors and nurses, the researchers and medical technicians that sat at the dinner tables scattered all around the enclosure. Outdoor string lights hovered above them, creating a warm and cozy mood. The white tablecloths on top of each table perfectly contrasted the dim lighting. Two minibars were placed across from each other, one on the far left and another on the far right. 

“Don’t look now, but right behind us is _the_ Katara! Oh my spirits, oh my spirits!” Bolin whispered nervously. 

Opal added, in the same excitement and nervousness, “Ahh! This is the first time I’ve seen her at Kya’s party. I _have_ to go talk to her, she’s my hero!”

Just then, Kya approached the three, in one hand she was holding a martini while the other was intertwined tightly onto Lin’s. “Oh, you guys made it!” The older Inuit let go of Lin, to which she pouted at, and hugged each of her nurses, giving them all kisses on the cheek. 

Opal gave a shy wave to the other woman, who now had a scowl on her face. “Hey, Aunt Lin.”

Lin gave her and the other two nurses a quick nod.

Kya waved down her mother, who she had just spotted sitting at a table. She yelled, “Mom! Korra’s here!”

Bolin and Opal both gave their roommate a look of confusion. 

Once Katara reached the group, she immediately pulled Korra into a warm embrace. “It’s my _favorite_ nurse! Look at you, looking snazzy as ever!”

Korra gave her a cheeky grin, “It’s nice to see you too, Master Katara.”

Her roommates were now staring at them wide-eyed, surprised by the casual encounter. Bolin spoke first, “WAIT! You studied under-” Then it was Opal, “- _The_ Katara herself?!”

Korra chuckled, “It’s not a big deal, guys. My parents took me to see her when I had my accident. When I showed the slightest interest in studying nursing, Katara took me in and taught me everything I know. She’s… actually the reason why I’m here.”

Katara gave the younger nurses a toothy grin, “That’s right! I recommended her application to Tenzin and now here she is, making me as _proud_ as ever!”

“Cut the cameras!” Bolin gasped. “Korra, you’re the luckiest person I’ve ever met!”

“Oh, it definitely wasn’t luck, Bolin. Korra has a natural gift when it comes to caring for others.” Katara faced Korra, giving her a warm smile.

Bolin squealed, “Y-you know my-my name. She-she-”

“I know all of your names. That’s Opal-” The old woman pointed at her, who’s mouth stayed wide open. “-And you, you’re Bolin. Mako’s younger brother. I know all about you. My daughter can’t stop talking about her nurses!”

Kya rolled her eyes, “Mom, cut it out. You’re going to make the flattery go to their heads. They’re already so overconfident.” She motioned for the nurses to sit at a table. “The self-serve all you can eat buffet is right by the minibar. When you all are ready to party, there’s a _mini_ club-style dance floor inside. I’m expecting you all to shake what your mamas gave ya!” Kya and Lin both waved goodbye and headed inside. Before Katara followed her daughter, she gave Korra another squeeze and waved at Opal and Bolin.

“Spirits, we just met _Katara_. This is literally the best day of my fucking life!” Opal screamed in excitement. 

Bolin looked over the two women and a large grin took over his face. “Mako! Wu! Kuvira!”

Korra turned her head and saw Kuvira. The older nurse’s look of boredom transformed into a genuine smile. “Hey, Kuv!” Kuvira’s olive green, short-sleeve midi dress hugged her curves perfectly. The slit on her right side definitely showed off her legs.

Kuvira gave her a tight hug, holding onto her waist after letting go. “Hey. You look stunning.” The Inuit had on a light blue long-sleeved dress that cut short just below her fingertips. 

“So, you got your invitation?” Opal asked Mako, who had one arm wrapped around Wu’s waist. 

“Yeah. Lin had invited Wu _weeks_ ago and she didn’t think of inviting me because she knew wherever Wu goes, I go.”

Wu gave the man a quick kiss on the cheek. “You got that right!”

The group sat around the table, eating and making conversation. Kuvira had her eyes and attention on Korra, and if the Inuit was being honest, she kind of enjoyed the other nurse’s attentiveness. To Korra, the night wasn’t as bad as she thought it would end up being. 

~~~

“Hey, let’s go somewhere we can talk.” Kuvira’s emerald eyes landed on hers, a pleading look taking over.

Curiosity visited Korra’s mind, what could Kuvira want to talk about? She nodded in response and the two women walked together up the stone stairs that lead to the entrance of the palace. 

When they got inside, Korra couldn’t help but marvel at the intricate details plastered all around the ballroom. The carved columns and relics hanging from the walls were exactly Air Nomad in nature. The grey stone flooring was twenty five feet from the ceiling, making the entire room look even bigger. What offset its elegance was the dance floor in the center, the bright multicolored strobe lights, and the blaring music booming from the DJ’s turntable. 

“Are we going to dance? I’ve only had three shots, I’m gonna need to be drunker than that, Kuv,” Korra joked. 

Kuvira chuckled and reached for her hand. “No, keep following me.”

The two walked past the bright room and up a wide spiral staircase. They reached a large balcony that overlooked the side of the courtyard. Korra looked over the stone railing, eyeing her friends who looked like ants from where she was standing. 

When she turned around, she instantly felt soft lips press onto her own, arms circling her waist, pulling her closer. Korra could hear her heart pounding in her chest, like the sound of a little kid hitting drums for the first time. She didn’t know if it was the fear of somebody walking in on them or the feeling of authentic endearment. Kuvira began traveling her fingers all around her back, causing her to arch, exposing the skin on her neck. The older nurse took this opportunity to pepper small kisses from Korra’s neck to her jawline. 

“K-Kuvira…” Korra closed her eyes in pleasure.

The woman suddenly grabbed her ass, giving it a gentle squeeze. Korra’s eyes shot open and she pushed the other away. “Kuvira!”

“Wh-what?”

“I’m not ready for that! Asami and I-”

Kuvira scoffed, “ _Asami?_ It’s always about Asami!”

The double doors suddenly squeaked and the two nurses looked towards the direction to see Opal standing there, looking like she saw a ghost, her face turned white. “Um...Uh, Lin..She-she’s making a toast and uh, I didn’t think you guys, uh, wanted to miss it so…”

Kuvira walked towards the stunned woman, “How long have you been standing there?”

“Oh, not long. I didn’t _see_ or _hear_ anything.” She started walking down the stairs, “L-let’s get back to the party.

~~~

“Kya is _the_ most illuminating woman I have ever met. She’s always the light of the party. She’s ambitious, talented, beautiful. But as brilliant as she is, she can also be _clumsy._ ” The large group of people laughed. 

Lin continued, humor in her voice. “The first time we met was right after we graduated. We were both crushing on each other hard. Whenever we were in the same room, something _always_ went wrong. Anyways, we were in the linen room, she was grabbing the last vitals machine and I happened to reach for it, too. Long story short, Kya tripped on one of the cart’s wires and guess what she landed on? _Me._ ” She snickered. “Yup! We bonked heads and our eyes met for the first time and suddenly, we were making out in the utility closet!” The crowd erupted in fits of laughter. 

“Kya, I _adore_ you. I’ve adored you ever since I laid eyes on you.” She gave the older Inuit a soft kiss on the cheek. “Today is _your_ day. Happy birthday, my love.” Lin lifted up her champagne glass, others following behind.

Bolin watched in mesmerization as Kya and Lin stared into each other’s eyes. “Awww, I love them!”

Wu nodded in agreement, “I wish I could have a love like that.” He pouted.

Mako hit him with a bread roll. He was about to remark back, but his attention moved towards a burgundy satin dress and jade eyes. “Hey, Asami, over here!”

The heiress turned around, flipping her luscious, black hair off of her shoulders. Korra watched her stride towards their table. She swore the world was spinning for a moment. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the gorgeous woman walking her way. The Sato took the empty seat next to Korra, earning an eye roll from her ex-best friend. 

Asami gave Korra a tight embrace, glaring at Kuvira as she reached over. As she let go, she gave the Inuit a charming smile, sparkling white teeth shining. “Hey, Korra. You’re breathtaking.” She eyed the woman up and down, licking her lower lip as she met Korra’s eyes.

Feeling the heat rising to her cheeks, Korra rubbed the back of her neck. “Thanks, ‘Sami. You look _amazing._ ”

“Spirits, we haven’t gone to the dancefloor! Let’s goooo!” Wu tugged onto Bolin and Mako’s sleeves, forcing them to stand up with him. The three motioned for the others to follow them inside.

  
  


The dance floor was still as packed as ever once the krew decided to dance. Wu and Mako walked away to do their own thing while Bolin found a pretty girl to dance with. Asami had grabbed Korra’s hand and pulled her to the center of the floor, leaving Kuvira and Opal alone. 

Now, Asami was dancing on Korra, their hips bucked together, bodies swaying to the music. The heiress’s back was facing the other woman’s front. After a moment, Asami turned around and put her lips to the other woman’s ear. She said, “I need to talk to you.”

Korra held the woman closer, breathing in the expensive scent that followed the heiress. “Okay.”

Jade jewels met cerulean orbs. “There’s a line out of the door for _you._ You’re beautiful, radiant, and everything in between. Everyone wants you.” Asami fluttered her long lashes, “I want to make this _very_ clear, Korra.” She got closer to Korra’s face, “Im-” and closer, “-in-”, and closer, “line.” Asami caressed her cheek and in one quick motion, gave Korra the softest, most careful kiss. 

Korra disintegrated into the softness of Asami’s succulent lips. Suddenly, Kuvira’s face popped into her head and she pushed herself away from the heiress. Puzzled, Asami arched an eyebrow. 

“Kuvira kissed me. Earlier tonight. She kissed me.”

Full green eyes turned dark, Korra swore she saw fire burning in them. “Are you _fucking_ serious? She did _what?!_ I’m going to beat her ass-”

“Asami, _I_ kissed back. I didn’t stop her. I let her do it.”

“Korra...” A hint of betrayal wavered through her voice, her upper lip quivering. “You’re joking, right?” She shook her head no to the question and Asami’s hands instantly balled into fists, now stomping out of the dancefloor. Korra chased behind her, repeating her name over and over again, but she didn’t hear a single thing. All Asami heard was the rage bubbling up to her head, voices telling her that the time to confront Kuvira was _now._

~~~

Kuvira was sitting on the same balcony she had taken Korra earlier than night, a cigarette between long fingers. After Asami had taken Korra away for the night, she wanted so badly to go home. Something about her ex-best friend had always intimidated her, not that she would admit it. Then, Opal had come to the rescue and made the night fun again. The two women rocked their bodies together to the music, only stopping to take more shots. Kuvira, slightly tipsy, had seen another side of Opal she had never seen before. The uptight friend she knew was actually fun and easy going underneath. 

Kuvira took a drag from the cigarette. She wasn’t a smoker, but when uncertainty and stress overcame her body and bones, the burning feeling of the smoke she inhaled made her feel full, alive again. She tossed the cigarette butt on the floor, stepping on it with her heels. 

  
  


“Kuvira!” The woman rotated her body to the sound of her name being called out. To her surprise, Asami was glaring at her, an upset frown sat on her face. 

“Hey, Asami. Ready to give Korra back?”

“I’m _tired_ of all of the childish remarks that comes out of your mouth and stupid shit you’ve been doing just to get on my nerves. Korra might not see it, but you’re a _conniving bitch!_ ” Asami stomped to her, shoving the other woman as hard as she could. 

Kuvira laughed devilishly, “If I’m a conniving bitch, you’re a _heartless_ monster!”

To stop the violence from continuing, Korra was now running in between the two, trying to keep them away from each other. “Stop! Please, just stop!”

Kuvira was the first to drop her stance. She tried, “Korra, I was just-”

The Inuit glared at both women, moving her eyes from one body to the other. In a demanding voice, she said, “No, let _me_ talk. I came to this city to work on my _career_ , to work on _myself._ I came here because I thought I could restart my life and finally become the person who I’ve been wishing for since I was a kid.” She took a deep breath and then moved herself away from the two nurses. “I am not some sort of _prize_ you can win at the carnival.” Her voice cracked. “ _I am_ Korra fucking Waters and I am a _nurse_ , a damn _brilliant_ one at that. _That’s_ who I am. Not some game, not a gold medal, not an object you can fucking brag about to your friends. I’m a human being!” She watched Kuvira and Asami gape at her, both of their mouths slightly opened. Korra finished, “Now, if the two of you can’t see that, then neither of you _deserve_ who I am.” Tears were now glistening down her cheeks, hands beginning to tremble. 

After a moment, Korra finally found the courage to move. She turned around to leave, but Asami grabbed her arm. “Korra, please, let’s talk this out.”

“‘Let’s talk this out’? That’s the best response you can give me, Asami? I’ve been trying to talk to you, but all you do is push me away! The only thing you have to talk about is all of the bitterness and hatred you have for Kuvira. I am _not_ going to be your mediator anymore. Grow the fuck up and talk it out, _both_ of you.” She pulled her hand away from Asami’s grasp and then glared at Kuvira. Then, she started walking towards the exit.

Kuvira tried again, “I told you, Korra, we-we had a falling out. I moved away and she-”

“Is _that_ what she told you? ‘We had a _falling out_ ’?” Asami looked at her ex-best friend in disbelief. Her own body was now shaking. 

“Asami, don’t-”

“She outed me to my dad, Korra! She fucked up the only relationship I had left with a parent and then _left_ me to deal with it alone! She’s a fucking coward!” The heiress screamed, her voice quivering. 

Korra turned around, now just a foot away from the doors. She searched Kuvira’s eyes and asked, “Is that...true, Kuvira? Tell me she’s lying.”

Kuvira looked like a deer in front of headlights, eyes full of fear and mouth wide open. When she finally found her voice, she began, “I did that for a reason, Korra. I did it because-”

“ _No!_ You didn’t have the right to make that choice, Kuvira. I thought you were the most genuine person in this city, but you’re not innocent. _Neither of you_ are. You-you lied to me. You told me to trust you and you _lied._ ” Korra shook her head in disappointment, eyebrows furrowing together. She turned around once again to open the doors.

“Korra, don’t you walk away. Please, just let me explain.” Kuvira’s plea sounded so small. 

“I can do whatever the hell I want, just _watch._ ” With that, the Inuit left the room, the heavy double doors slamming behind her. 

Asami dropped to the floor, her sobbing became uncontrollable and her body shook from the avalanche that just occurred. Kuvira reached down to her. “Hey, you’re having a panic attack. You have to breathe.” A hint of concern was hidden in her voice. When Asami wasn’t calming down, Kuvira sat next to her and held her close, rubbing a hand on the heiress’s back and rocking their bodies in a pleasant rhythm as she hummed a soft tune. After a while, Asami’s breathing had leveled and Kuvira let go. The two women sat on the floor in silence, leaning their backs on the column railings of the balcony. 

“Remember when I used to do that to you when Hiroshi made you cry?” Kuvira’s voice was almost a whisper. 

Asami nodded, still not lifting her gaze from the stone floor. “Wh-what happened to us, Kuvira?”

“I don’t know… We just… grew up, I guess.”

“That’s not the answer I want. What _happened_ ? You were my best friend. I trusted you more than I ever trusted anyone. After my mom died, you helped me pick up the puzzle pieces I lost and made me whole again. Then, you took them away one by one until I was _nothing._ ”

Kuvira stared up at her, “You didn’t need me, Asami. You can’t keep relying on other people to make you happy, to make you whole.”

Tears began rolling down her face. “I had to deal with everything _alone_ . My dad disowned me and the only reason why I _begged_ for him to take me back was because I didn’t want to lose another parent. I went through graduation by myself when it was supposed to be _us, together._ My proudest moment was spent alone crying in a condo I didn’t even want. You left and I turned into _this_ .” She gestured towards herself. “So _please_ , be honest for once.”

Kuvira looked at her old friend, her own tears began tugging on her eyes. “O-okay…”

~~~

The two best friends sat across one another on Asami’s all black poster bed. Kuvira was grasping onto the white silk sheets, laughing into it. 

“Mako really spat out pieces of bread on your face?” She giggled.

Asami nodded, a wide grin on her face, “Yeah! He was choking on it, Kuv, give him a break.”

“If my date spat out their food on my face, I wouldn’t even give them a second chance.”

Asami deadpanned. “Stop that. He’s a good guy.”

“A good guy who got pieces of bread on your luscious, gorgeous hair. That shampoo commercial will definitely fire you.” Both of them cracked up again, fits of laughter surrounding the air.

After a moment, the two best friends sat in a comfortable silence. Asami started, “I have to ask you something.” Kuvira nodded, urging her to continue. “How did...how did your parents react when you came out to them?”

“At first it felt like they didn’t approve of it. They ignored it every time I tried to bring it up again. Then I brought home the first girl I dated and...and they saw how happy she made me and I guess that was a good enough reason for them to accept me.” She smiled. “Why?”

Asami chewed on her bottom lip, a nervous tick Kuvira came to know. “I think...no, I know- uh… I have to tell you something, but promise you won’t overact.” Her friend nodded for her to continue. “I absolutely _love_ Mako, but I-I like girls, too. I-”

“Holy crap! You do?!”

“I said _don’t_ overreact! I mean, I’m happy with Mako, but I’ve been thinking about this, even before I met him. And it’s time for me to accept it. I like girls _and_ boys.”

Suddenly, strong arms were wrapped around her. “Spirits, I’m so proud of you. Thank you for telling me.” Her best friend was squeezing onto her tight and she did the same back. The weight on her shoulders she had been carrying for months instantly disappeared.

Suddenly, her bedroom door opened, scaring the two friends to move away from one another. 

“Sorry to interrupt you girls.” Hiroshi faced his daughter. “I need to borrow Kuvira for a moment, sweetheart.”

Asami nodded, “Okay.” She playfully hit her friend on the shoulder. “Looks like you’re in trouble.”

“Shut up, loser,” Kuvira giggled.

Kuvira sat inside Hiroshi’s study on a very uncomfortable chair, trying to fix her posture. She brought one leg to cross the other and folded her hands together. Thinking this was enough to please the man, she calmed herself in her seat. 

Hiroshi walked over to his chair, his footsteps made Kuvira flinch. “You’re not in trouble per se, Miss Kuvira. I just have some questions to ask you.”

“You can ask me anything, sir.”

“Alright.” He nodded in approval. “I have been talking to your parents. They talk so highly of you. ‘She’s so smart. She’s going to be a nurse. She’s so ambitious.’ They’re right, you know.” Kuvira gave him a smile. Hiroshi started again, “‘She’s loyal. She’s honest.’ They’re right about that too, right?”

Kuvira blinked, “Excuse me, sir?”

“You’re honest, right Miss Kuvira?” She nodded at the question. Hiroshi thought for a moment and then continued. “So let me ask you this. You and my daughter have been _inseparable_ since the moment you two met. You two are so close that I’m thinking there’s something _more_ going on between the two of you. Am I _right_?” 

The girl could feel her heart jumping from her chest up to her throat. “N-no, sir. I-we-we just, um, study to-together-”

“Do _not_ stutter! I have eyes on the back of my head, Miss Unidad. I know what goes around my property. I see the way you look at her, the way you touch her.” He fixed the hair that fell from his perfect head. “I want to hear it from _you._ If you don’t tell me the truth, I _will_ bring your company under.”

“I-what? Sir, if-if you’re insinuating that I want something more with your daughter, then you’re wrong. She's dating Mako."

Hiroshi scoffed, “I’m never wrong. I _know you_ more than you know yourself. If you don’t tell me the truth, your family will get the bad end of this stick!”

Kuvira started fiddling with her thumbs. Her palms were now sweating and the lump in her throat grew bigger. She was _scared._ The same man that her family had worshipped for years was now threatening to put them under, to pull out from being their life support. Kuvira loved her best friend with everything in her, but she didn’t want to go back to the sleepless nights worrying about food on the table, the nights where she stayed awake as her parents screamed at each other. It was her family _or_ her best friend. She gulped. “F-fine. I do have something to tell you, but if I tell you, will you leave my family alone?”

“Yes, Miss Unidad.”

“Asami’s gay.”

Hiroshi was now up from his seat, slamming a fist on the table. “Do not talk lies about my daughter! Did your parents teach you any manners?!”

“I-I’m not lying, sir! I told you what I knew, you-you’ll leave my parents alone, right?!”

“You-you forced this sick ideology onto my daughter! She’s been different ever since you two met and now I know why! Leave my house _now_! You will not force yourself around my daughter, you will not go anywhere near my property!” He shoved Kuvira out of the door, down the staircase. With one push, she fell on the last step. “Leave if you know what’s best for you.”

Kuvira was crying, screaming at the top of her lungs. “What are you going to do to Asami?! My-my family?!” 

Asami was now running down the steps, but her father stopped her. “Dad, w-what’re you doing?! Kuvira, she’s crying, I have to go to her! She’s my best friend!”

Hiroshi’s security guards pulled Kuvira out through the door and out of the Sato’s property.

Hiroshi held his daughter back, “Your best friend? If you don’t stay right here, you can sleep with the dogs! No daughter of mine sins the way she does!”

“Sh-she told you? Dad, I-”

He let his Asami go, glaring at her. “So it’s true? I want you out of this house by the time I come back from my meeting. You are not the daughter we raised.”

~~~~

Kuvira hugged her legs close to her chest. She sighed into her arms. “I tried visiting you. I tried sneaking through the gates, but your dad was always there. One time he saw me and- and he said if I didn’t leave, he’d make my life a living hell.” She gulped, remembering what it felt like to be threatened by one of the most powerful men in the world. “So we left. My family and I grabbed our things and took the next flight back to Zaofu...but that didn't do any good. Right after we landed, we found out that your father had cut his ties from our company." Kuvira sighed, "I was gone for a year, but you were on my mind the entire time. Not my family's company going bankrupt. Not my parents getting a divorce. _You_. Then, when I came back and saw that you were this big, hot shot nurse, I didn’t know what to do. All of the other nurses would gossip about you and at first, I tried defending you, but then I saw you in action and I realized they were right.”

“The only reason why I acted like a bitch on the floor was because that’s what everyone pictured me as. You left and I spiraled down to someone I wasn’t.”

“L-Look Asami, what I did was wrong. I chose my family over my friendship with you. I-I don’t know if I regret it, but I had to save my family. Your dad, he’s a villain. He threatened my family. If you can’t see that, then I don’t think you ever will.”

For the first time, Asami looked up, the tears building up in her lacrimal ducts made her green eyes look like glistening jewels. “You’re right. He _is_ a bad man.” She sighed. “I hated you all of these years because I _blamed_ you for ruining my relationship with the only parent I had left, but… it was his fault. He’s the one that didn’t want me and now, we barely even talk.” Asami reached for her friend’s hand. “I’m sorry I’m only seeing this now.”

Kuvira held onto the hand. “You have nothing to apologize for. I was a terrible friend, but if you let me, I’d like to make things right with you.” The other woman nodded, giving her a soft smile. 

The two sat in silence for a moment. After a minute, Kuvira stood back up, holding her hand out to Asami. “Come on.”

“Wh-where are we going?”

“We’re going to apologize to Korra.”

Asami stayed put. “I-I think I’m going to stay here for a little. I’ll catch up to you.” The other woman dipped her head down and headed out the doors. 

~~~

Kuvira ran around, searching for the brown hair and blue eyes she had familiarized herself with. What she found was Opal sitting on the steps outside. 

“Hey, have you seen Korra?” Kuvira asked, out of breath. 

“Seriously, you’re _still_ going on about her? Korra thiiiis, Korra thaaaat.” Opal stared at her, a frown on her face. “Why is it _always_ Korra?!” She raised her voice.

“Woah, Opal, you’re drunk.” Kuvira walked up to her and tried to hold her up. “Let’s get you inside.”

“I might be drunk, but I can still tell you off, ‘Viiiira. Korra doesn’t want you, but _IIII_ do! Don’t you get that?” She stumbled onto Kuvira, Opal’s hands landing on her shoulders. “You know, for the smartest nurse I know, youuu-” Opal tapped her on the nose. “-can be as dumb as a rock!”

Kuvira gaped at her, mouth slightly wide opened. “I-uh...Okay.” Bolin, who was walking up the steps, caught her attention. She flagged him down, “Bo! C-can you take her inside? I have to check up on Korra.”

“Oh, yeah sure. I saw her run that way.” He pointed towards the direction of the island’s cliff. 

Before Kuvira handed him Opal, she gave her a tight hug and kissed her on the forehead. She whispered in her ear, “We’ll talk about this when you’re sober.”

  
  


Kuvira ran towards the sound of waves. There, on a wooden bench that overlooked the sea, sat the woman she was looking for. “Hey, Korra.” The Inuit kept her focus on the waves and Kuvira hesitantly walked towards her. When Korra stayed silent, she decided to sit next to her. 

“I’m sorry.” 

Korra kept her lips together, remaining unmoved. 

“Korra, please. I’m sorry I lied to you.”

In a quick motion, the Inuit moved her head ninety degrees to meet Kuvira’s. “You’re going to listen to me and you’re not going to interrupt.” Kuvira nodded in response. “You were the first person that made me feel comfortable working on the unit. You taught me to be confident, to believe in my skills. I respected you.” Korra sighed and in a whisper, she said, “You’re my _best_ friend.”

Kuvira sniffed. “You’re my best friend, too.That’s more important to me than anything else. I’ll do anything for your forgiveness, Korra.” She foraged for it in her eyes. “I was an ass. I treated you like an object, but that’s not who I am. Please, Korra, I talked it out with Asami. I’m going to be doing everything I can for her to forgive me, too.”

“I don’t think I can forgive you right now.” Korra continued to stare at the waves crashing onto the rocks below. “But I am proud of you.”

After a long moment sitting in silence, Kuvira stood up and left the nurse to wander in her own thoughts. 

~~~

Like in the car, her focus stayed on the waves pushing and pulling against the rocks. The cold breeze hit her skin, like miniature bullets of ice. Observing the water, its movement and fluid motion, eased her mind. She closed her eyes, trying to center her body to the sound of the waves crashing, breathing in the cold air and letting it out. 

“Hey. Kuvira said I would find you here.”

The Inuit opened her eyes and she was met with jade. Asami had sat beside her. In a raspy voice, Korra said, “I don’t want to talk.”

“You don’t need to, but please listen.” Asami was met with a long silence, but she continued anyway, “When I stepped onto 6 South, a lot of closed wounds reopened. I let my hatred for Kuvira get in the way of my feelings for you. I was jealous, not persistent enough. You’re upset, you’re mad, you have every right to be-”

“I’m not upset. I’m...disappointed. When I heard you were working on our unit, I was _so_ excited. Not because you were the nurse of the month and I wanted to learn from you, but because I liked you. I liked you so much that sometimes you were the only thing I could think about.” Korra frowned. “I tried to give you all of these opportunities to just...just tell me how you felt, but it’s clear that you and Kuvira just saw me as a race to finish, a trophy to win.”

Asami reached for Korra’s face, forcing the Inuit to look into her eyes. “Korra, I don’t think that, not at all. I like you more than I’ve ever liked anyone. I want to be with you.”

A single tear rolled down caramel skin. “No. I can’t do this right now, Asami. I think, I...I have to focus on me. That’s the whole reason why I’m here.”

Asami dropped her hand and stood up from her seat. “Okay.” With one word, she walked away. 

  
Korra continued to rest on the bench, still watching the movement of the waves. She had to think about _her_ this time. 


	10. You-Know-Who

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, folks! the sem starts up again on monday (brb crying) and i have FOUR CLINICAL SITES every week plus a twelve hr shift at work once a week (brb crying some more), and i'm doing my research class this sem (rip rip rip) so the updates are going to be *less* frequent 😢 i'll probably post once a week on the weekends <3
> 
> if ya'll want to join, here is the discord i made for this fic: https://discord.gg/eUHG7XBYFA - i know some of ya'll are in the medical field, so i'd love to have a convo with you! even if you arent, you can use this chat to give me feedback, tell me what you want to see in the story, or even remind me to post (lol) 
> 
> (i didn't know invite links expired omg, so i updated both links from the last chap to this one so it works now)
> 
> okay, lemme stop rambling hehe enjoy this chap!

_ Thirty eight...thirty nine… _ Toes and palms facing down on the cool wooden floor, Korra extended her arms straight, huffing out breath after breath. She woke up at 4 am every morning before anyone else, exercising and perfecting her posture.

It had been a few months after the avalanche that occurred at Kya’s party. After about fifteen more minutes sitting alone in her own solace, watching the waves crash on the rocky compound below her, Korra wiped away the tears dripping down her chin and forced herself up. She adjusted her dress, patting away the buildup of dirt and dust, and fixed her hair, ruffled by the breeze. She found the strength to walk back to the party, a plastered smile on her face as she strutted with forged vitality. The first step to building yourself back up was to expand your  _ confidence _ and that’s exactly what Korra did. She networked the hell out of that party, talking to every nurse and doctor she could find, extending her outreach to the best of her abilities.  _ As long as they know my name, they’ll remember me. If they remember me, they’ll hire me in the future. _

And it absolutely paid off. Kya watched her from afar, finding Korra’s sudden initiative admirable and charming. So, before the party ended, the older Inuit pulled the younger one aside and offered her a full-time primary nurse job on 6 South. Korra was  _ ecstatic _ , enraptured by Kya’s positive perspective of her, but she found that it wasn’t enough. She was hungry for  _ more. _

_ Fifty seven...Fifty eight...Fifty nine… _

Booming knocks on her door terminated her concentration. She lowered down the music blaring from her blue Beats Pill Speaker, wiped the sweat off her brow with her t-shirt, and made her way towards the door. When she opened it, she was met with a glaring Opal who had her hands placed on her hips, a look of artificial anger on her face.

“Korra Waters, your music is deafening! Must you do this every single morning?”

“Okay, okay,  _ mom _ . I’ll lower it down. And  _ yes _ , I do if I want to get my body right. My mind is in tip-top shape, now it’s time to work on this.” She pointed at her formed, toned stomach. 

Opal walked into the room and sat on her bed. “Okay, you’ve been acting like some angsty teen for weeks now. What’s going on with you?”

Korra forcefully sighed and sat cross-legged on the floor. “Nothing. I’m good.” She tried to convince herself. “ _ You’ve _ been acting like a distressed mother.”

“I’m stressed, okay!?” Opal took a calming breath in and let it out. “Anyways, are you going to talk to  _ you-know-who _ today?”

“Y’know, you ask me that every week and every week, I give you the same answer.” 

A couple of days after Kya’s celebration, management had finally hired a new permanent primary nurse on 6 South to replace Jargala, pressuring Asami Sato to go back to her home unit. This unforeseen factor didn’t stop the heiress from trying to reach out to Korra, though. The nurse had left the Inuit a number of texts and calls; in the beginning, she would even wait for Korra outside of the unit after work. Any opportunity or free time she had, she would be outside of Opal’s apartment, trying to get the Inuit to talk to her. What ultimately ceased Asami’s attempts was when the woman she adored had stopped coming through the double doors of 6 South at 2000 exact. Turns out, Korra had changed her schedule to  _ night shift _ just to avoid her. Asami could admit that  _ that _ was the most painful thing Korra had done. When the Inuit believed that Asami had gotten the hint, she switched right back to dayshift. 

A happy accident that had occurred out of nowhere, though, was that Opal and Asami had become  _ closer _ than ever. Opal would let her inside the apartment to wait for Korra, and when the Inuit wouldn’t show, Opal’s motherly instincts kicked in and she let the sad woman stay. The heiress had  _ cried _ into her devoted arms, venting about the missing roommate. And Opal let her. It felt like it was the least she could do after everything.

Opal thought for a second, then with a smile on her face, she said, “I’m actually glad you don’t want to talk to  _ you-know-who _ today. You need to be  _ extra _ focused at work!”

“You can say her name, Opal.” She laid herself on the floor, back and feet leveled to the wood. “And why do I need to be more focused than I already am?” Korra began doing sit-ups.

“Becaaaause! My mom just got admitted to our unit. Her asthma’s acting up again and my dad forced her to go to the ER.” Opal sighed as she plopped her body on the bed. “She’s good now, but Kya wanted mom to stay overnight just to monitor her breathing.” She sighed. “Kya won’t let me take care of her or be around her. Something about being related to the patient or whatever.”

“You know I’ll give her my best service, Ope.” The Inuit promised, playfully using a finger to cross her heart. 

“I’m not worried about that. I’m worried that Kuvira might say something to her…” 

That’s another thing that had changed in the course of six months. Opal and Kuvira were now  _ dating-  _ not that the two had publicly confessed. The two had talked about their own relationship after the party and months later, had begun sneaking off to see each other during their days off. If only they were more secretive with their interactions. Everyone was perceptive of the flirtatious glances they shared during huddles and the adoring hugs they gave each other when the group dispersed after a night out.

As for Korra and Kuvira, they had eventually rekindled their friendship. Kuvira had meant it when she said she wanted to put their friendship above whatever drama they had. At first, it was bumpy, like any other friendship that needed to be fixed again. Just as she did with Asami, Korra had ignored the Unidad, making excuses to leave group dinners or taking her breaks in the cafe just to avoid being in Kuvira’s presence. Then out of nowhere, the nightmares started again. There were days where Korra couldn’t move, held back by the restraints of her past- days where her beautiful mind was plagued by the sounds of her bones breaking and her parents pleading for her to wake up. As horrible as she was to Kuvira, her friend was still there for her. Kuvira would switch her work days with Korra so that she could have time to mentally heal. Kuvira would bring her dinner when all of her friends were busy at work and she had forgotten to eat. Kuvira was  _ there. _ She didn’t let Korra’s push drive her away. Instead, she inched herself closer and closer to the Inuit. Korra let her in because it turns out, the two were almost alike in nature. The two were both strong minded and highly motivated, ambitious and full of energy. In the end, the avalanche had given her a  _ real _ , loyal best friend. 

Korra stood up and walked towards Opal, seating herself on the bed beside her. “Why is that a bad thing?” She asked after a while.

“My mom would absolutely  _ flip _ if she finds out me and Kuvira Unidad are sneaking around without a label. Plus, the last time mom saw Kuvira was at this work party her parents had invited us to. Long story short, it was a mess so I don’t think she’s very fond of the Unidads in general. Suyin Beifong is crazy protective over her  _ only _ daughter, Kor. There’s a reason why I don’t call her anymore. Her expectations are way too high.”

Korra chuckled, “I see. You’re scared Momma Beifong’s going to  _ kick _ Kuvira’s ass and you don’t want Kuvira trying to  _ kiss _ your mom’s ass. I got you, I’ll make sure Kuv won’t say a word.”

Opal lunged herself onto her friend, giving her the tightest hug. “Thank you!” After she let go, she walked out of the room and said, “You know, Asami’s changed, Korra. She’s so different now. Give her a chance.”

“I’m not listening to a traaaitor,” she yelled at Opal’s retreating figure. 

~~~

“So  _ you’re _ Korra Waters. It’s lovely to finally meet one of my daughter’s roommates.” Suyin smiled at Korra, then immediately glared at Opal.

Korra nervously shook the quaint hand that Suyin had offered. The older Beifong looked  _ exactly _ like Opal. Their jawlines and high cheek bones were almost identical in nature. She noticed that the two women definitely shared the same cute, little smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Beifong. I’ll be your primary nurse today, so-”

“Mom, she’s one of the best nurses here. She’ll take great care of you.” Her roommate interrupted.

Suyin gave the two women an innocent smile. “You don’t need to worry about me at all, sweetie. I was just walking up the stairs and had a little bit of trouble breathing. Tell them, Bataar.” She tugged on her husband’s sleeve.

“Honey, you  _ passed out _ after walking up a single flight of stairs. You hit your head on the floor and messed up your wrist.” Opal’s father pointed at the wrist brace on Suyin’s right hand. He faced the nurses, “She’s been working late hours, I think it’s the stress that’s inducing her asthma.” Bataar moved his body so that now, he was looking at his wife. He held her good hand. “Let Korra help you.”

Opal’s mother sighed. “Alright.” She shooed her daughter out of the room. “I’ll let Korra help me. Go before Kya fires you. You go do whatever Nurse Opal does best.” 

Opal gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and left the room. Suyin then motioned for her husband to leave, too. “Can you get me a coffee from the cafe, hon?” He nodded and in a flash, he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Suyin stared at Korra, making her scratch her face nervously. Her eyes carried both a sense of intensity and sweetness. She started, “Miss Korra, do you know who  _ Kuvira _ is?”

“Uh, y-yes, ma’am. She works on this unit, too.”

“Oh, fantastic! I haven’t seen her in  _ ages _ . Can you get her to stop by my room when you get the chance, please?”

Korra gulped. This is what Opal had asked her  _ not _ to do. Tapping her fingers on her clipboard, she tried, “Well, today’s going to be busy and she, um, has this crazy run. She’s super serious when it comes to work, I wouldn’t want to pull her away like that.”

Suyin’s face fell and she gave the Inuit the most innocent puppy dog eyes. They stared at each other like this for a while, Korra too afraid to make the slightest movement. Finally, she gave in. “Okay! Okay, I’ll grab her right now.” She rushed through the door, slipping in the process. She pushed herself off the floor and gave Suyin a tense smile. 

~~~

The rest of the work day was simple. Kya had given her a great run today compared to the bad runs she had last week. All of her patients were able to do their ADLs and the only thing she was waiting for was the thumbs up from the doctors to have Suyin discharged. Now, Korra was eating lunch with Bolin in the break room while the other nurses, who had a number of total care patients and patients in isolation rooms, were still trying to pass their afternoon medications. 

“The new nurse is  _ totally _ a badass, Korra!”

She nodded in agreement, “Definitely! Did you see him start an IV on Miss Saetang? Her veins are nonexistent and her arms are so swollen. He did it in  _ one _ try! That’s incredible.”

Bolin popped a chip in his mouth. “Mhmmm. I think we should invite him in to the Boo Boo Krew.”

“Let’s bring it up to Kuv, Opal, and Mako-”

“Aaaand Asami. Don’t forget Sato. Y’know, cause she’s still part of the Krew.”

Korra threw the Twix bar she was about to open at Bolin’s head. “I am  _ not _ going to talk to her, Bo. You and Ope are trying so hard to get me to see her.” She crossed her arms across her chest. “Well, if fate allows it, it’ll happen. As for now, I’m perfectly fine with waiting.”

Suddenly, the doors opened and a huffing Opal joined the two at the table. She grabbed the Twix bar from Bolin and chewed on the stick of chocolate as she glared at Korra. “I told you  _ not _ to let ‘Vira near my mom and what do you do? Just the opposite!” She took another aggressive bite. “Now mom’s playing 21 Questions with my  _ not-girlfriend  _ and I can’t go in there to help her because Kya won’t let me!” 

“Opal, have you seen your mother’s  _ eyes _ ? My brain and body wouldn’t let me say no even if I tried! That woman is  _ very _ convincing.”

The other nurse rolled her eyes and stood up, “You know what, I’m gonna give her a piece of my mind. Yeah, that’s what I’m gonna do. She needs to stop trying to dig through my personal life! I don’t care what Kya says.” She stomped out of the room, gripping the chocolate bar in one hand. 

Bolin looked at Korra, “Uh, that’s not gonna go good at all.” Korra dropped her sandwich on the table and walked out of the room, following Opal.

  
  
  


“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I like you, Miss Unidad! You’re  _ very _ intelligent, extremely observant, and you have the most beautiful emerald eyes. You’re just like me.” Suyin grinned up at the nurse. 

Kuvira smiled back, “Thank you, Miss Beifong, that means so much to me. I promise I’ll give Op-”

The doors sprung wide opened and out came the youngest Beifong, hands balled up in fists and a scowl on her face. “Mom! I don’t care what you think about Kuvira. Okay, so who cares if we’ve gone out five times and we sleep together on the same bed most nights? Who cares if we wait for each other to get out of work or get dinner together right after? Who  _ cares _ if we don’t have a label?”

Suyin stared at her daughter, confused, “Calm down, honey-”

“No, mom, don’t tell me to calm down. You keep messing with my love life, you keep asking about my friends- you wonder why I don’t call as often as I should? Because  _ nothing _ is good enough for you! And Kuvira is more than good enough!” Opal yelled at her mother. 

Suddenly, the older Beifong’s breathing became more shallow and her face turned white instantaneously. She was trying to say something, but her quick breathing and wheezes made her voice inaudible. Opal quickly grabbed the rescue inhaler from the table and put it to her mother’s lips. “M-mom, I-” Korra took the device away from her and asked Kuvira to take her outside. The angry and confident demeanor that Opal had showcased earlier immediately fell into a worried, anxious state. Kuvira grabbed the younger nurse and moved her away from the room, trying to calm her down. 

Outside, Opal paced through the halls nervously. “I yelled at her, ‘Vira, and she had an asthma attack. Spirits, I’m a horrible daughter.”

Kuvira grabbed onto her shoulders. “Why’d you go all King Kong on your mom? We were just having a  _ nice _ conversation. She didn’t do or say anything to offend you or me...or us.”

“I don’t know… I’ve just been so stressed out. I’ve ignored all of her calls for weeks now. And when I do find the heart to answer, she instantly asks about my life, expecting me to tell her I won nurse of the month, got a pay raise, got better friends, or-or I’m dating the prince of the Fire Nation or something!” She sighed, “ I don’t know. It just feels like nothing is ever good enough for her.”

“I promise you all she went on about was how she was so  _ proud _ of you- how you’re making your dreams come true on your own and you’re doing everything and anything you can to save lives. She loves you, Opal.”

“Yeah..” Her face fell towards the floor. 

Kuvira grabbed her chin and lifted her head up so that their eyes were leveled. In a low voice, she asked, “What’s this about, Ope? There’s more to this than you’re telling me.”

Opal searched the nurse’s eyes and in an instant, her uncommunicative shield was defeated and she let the Unidad in. “I just...We do things that people in- in relationships do. We hold hands when we walk down the street, we makeout when we’re alone, we do all of these things and yet, we still don’t have a...you know, a label.”

To her surprise, the other nurse was now chuckling at her. “Wh-why are you laughing at me?!” Opal swatted her arm. 

Kuvira stopped her laughing fit and pulled the other woman in a tight embrace. “I thought it was going to be, I don’t know, a more pressing matter?” She sighed into her short hair. “I didn’t know you cared about stuff like that. I thought it was a given that we’re together.”

Opal moved away from her. “S-so...we’re together? Like we’re  _ official _ ?” Kuvira nodded, a warm smile on her face. 

Then, her mother’s door swung wide open and Korra motioned for them to come in. Suyin had calmed down and was now looking at her daughter with sympathy in her eyes. “Opal, I’m sorry.” Her daughter sat on the bed and held onto her mother’s hands. “No,  _ I’m _ sorry for yelling at you, mom.”

Korra and Kuvira both walked out, allowing for the two Beifongs to talk in private. 

~~~

“So, me and Opal are officially dating, strings attached and all.” Kuvira had a goofy grin on her face and a tint of pink on her cheeks. 

“I thought you guys were already together?” Korra scoffed.

“Yeah, but like, we talked about us and-” She glared at her friend. “Okay, I shouldn’t be explaining this to you. I did it, so now it’s your turn.”

Korra cocked up an eyebrow. “Mmm, and what exactly do I need to do?”

“You  _ know _ , Korra Waters. As your best friend, I think it’s time to talk to  _ you-know-who _ .”

“Spirits, you can say her name, Kuv.” She sighed. “If it means you all stop pestering me about it, then  _ fine _ ! I’ll go up to 7 North after work and wait for her to get out.”

~~~

Korra shouldn’t be this  _ nervous. _ Her palms shouldn’t be feeling like Niagara Falls. Her heart shouldn’t be beating a mile a minute. Her legs shouldn’t feel like the noodles she ate for lunch. Something about meeting Asami again gave her butterflies, and she wasn’t sure if it were the good kinds. She swatted the feelings away and let the hum of the elevator detangle her mind. The loud DING! pulled her back down to reality and she hesitantly stepped out, clutching onto the straps of her backpack. She breathed in and out, and cautiously walked through the hallways of the 7th floor. 

Maybe everything will turn out okay. Maybe the odds weren’t against her today and she’ll get all of the words she wanted to say for the past sixth months out. She had played their reunion over and over again, had her script down to the T. Korra was going to apologize for avoiding her. Then, she’d ask Asami to have dinner with her and they would talk about everything that happened. Everything after that was up to fate. 

Korra was too busy focusing on the white tiles cemented on the floor to notice the tall man standing outside of the unit.

“Hey, Iroh! What’re you doing up here?”

Iroh looked at her, surprised, amber eyes filled with confusion. “Oh, I’m just waiting for-”

The two moved their attention to the goddess that had walked through the double doors. Asami looked so  _ good _ . Her hair was styled up in a high ponytail, two strands of wavy hair hung on either side of her perfect face. The signature red lipstick and light purple eyeshadow was replaced by pink lip gloss and expertly done winged eyeliner. Korra stared at her, awestruck. She could feel her heart palpitating inside her chest.  _ Lub dub, lub dub, lub dub, lub dub. _

Iroh gave Asami a hug; she showed a little bit of hesitancy to return the gesture back as she watched Korra eye her up and down. Once he finally let go, the heiress searched Korra’s cerulean eyes. Nothing had changed, they were as stunning as ever. 

Asami found her voice. “Hey, what’re you, uh, doing here?”

“I wanted to… talk.” Korra gulped. She looked between Iroh and Asami and it finally hit her. The two nurses looked  _ perfect, almost too perfect,  _ standing beside one another. “If-if you two are busy, I wouldn’t want to hold you up. We can talk another time.”

Asami noticed the frown forming on the other nurse’s face as she glared up at Iroh. “Oh, this is Iroh-”

“I know. He’s our new hire. The nurse that replaced you.” Was that a hint of bitterness in the Inuit’s remark?

The heiress held onto the man’s arm and motioned him towards the elevators. “Iroh, I’ll meet you in the car.” Iroh must have understood what was going on because he didn’t say a word and was out of the hallway in no time.

“Your boyfriend?”

“W-what? No, no!”  _ Be honest, Asami. You owe her that much.  _ “Well, we did go on a couple of dates, but it didn’t work out... we’re  _ just friends _ .” 

“A friend that takes you home.” Korra was barely able to mutter.

“We’re  _ friends _ that are going to grab a bite to eat after work. That’s it.” Asami seemed adamant. “Now, are we going to talk?”

  
  
  



	11. Asami Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi besties :) i missed ya'll!
> 
> updates will be every weekend, as long as i'm not too busy to post. 
> 
> if ya'll want, you can follow me on tumblr (@appasxarrow). here, you can ask me questions & talk to me! i'd love to get to know ya'll :D  
> thanks to my bud @meliorismmint for teaching me how to make one :)
> 
> as always, enjoy & let me know what ya'll think. i absolutely love your commentsss!

Asami sat alone in the corner of the coffee shop. She had asked Opal to meet her at the Jasmine Dragon Café and to her surprise, the Beifong had _cheerfully_ , almost excitedly _,_ agreed to. It had been a couple of days since her meltdown at Opal’s apartment. Asami hadn’t planned on sharing her misery with Korra’s roommate, especially since the cause of it was Korra herself. She hadn’t planned on _crying_ , letting go of all of the heartbreak she had felt in Korra’s absence. But as soon as Opal had openly, _caringly_ put her arms around her, the heiress unintentionally let the tears fall like waterfalls. 

_This_ was not who Asami Sato was. Or maybe it was before the chaos happened. Asami _was_ once a kindhearted, considerate, and caring person. The version she was in the present was just the opposite. She had let the detestation of everyone around her take over the Asami of the past, and in the process, the social hatred transformed into self-loathing. What Asami was sure of, though, was that _this_ Asami wasn’t the type of person to weep over a heartbreak. But this was over _Korra_ . Korra with the warm, tan skin, goofy smile, and captivating blue eyes. Incredible, beautiful, compassionate Korra. As cheesy as it sounded, maybe the Inuit was _different_ ? Maybe the reason this heartache was so damaging was because the Inuit had been the first person to show her what genuine compatibility was. When they were together, Asami wasn’t smothered with her fake, bitch-face mask she had always worn around others. Korra had made her feel like herself again, the _real_ Asami Sato. The kindhearted, considerate, caring Asami.

Asami stared at her watch. _Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock._ Second after second, minute after minute quickly orbited around the small, circular frame and a wave of anxiety overcame her. Immediately, she wanted to flee the environment after realizing that Opal might not even show, but as the thoughts passed her by, the doors of the rustic building swung open and out came the woman she had been waiting for. Instantly, the young Beifong’s presence put her own worry to ease. Opal, with a huge grin on her face, walked over to Asami’s table and reached out to hug her. 

Asami, who was surprised by the sudden show of affection, stood up from her seat and awkwardly gave the other woman a hug. “Thank you for meeting me.”

Opal let go and sat on the empty seat across from the heiress. “Thank _you_ for inviting me.” She gave Asami another warm smile as she positioned her handbag on her lap. 

“I wanted to properly thank you for letting me stay over the other night.” Asami focused her attention on the small potted plants sitting on the windowsill. She always _loved_ the sight of cactuses that bloomed vibrant colored flowers. It was crazy to think that something so pointy and displeasing at first can grow and become something so much more. “I know you’re probably annoyed by how often I come by. I just wish Korra would _talk_ to me.”

With concern forming in her olive green eyes, Opal reached over the table and put a hand on Asami’s. The other woman flinched at the contact, but easily surrendered to the warmth. “You aren’t a bother at all, Asami. I actually kind of...miss our friendship.” The heiress couldn’t stop her frown from shaping itself into a smile. If she was being honest, she missed the other woman, too. Opal continued, “And with Korra, she just needs some space. I should have told you this, but she switched her schedule to night shift to avoid seeing you. That’s also why she hasn’t been home at night. I was going to mention it to you the other night, but it looked like you needed a friend.”

Asami sniffed. Was Korra that adamant about not seeing her? Did Korra... _hate_ her? Before she could stop herself, her mind took over and she asked, “Does she hate me?”

Opal patted her arm. “No. Right now, she’s just way too focused on herself. I have to admit, it’s kind of getting overbearing. Once she grows out of this ‘it’s all about me’ phase, she’ll come around. I just know it.”

“I hope so. I don’t know why, but something’s stopping me from letting her go.”

Opal suggested, “Maybe it’s love?” Asami raised a sculpted eyebrow at the comment. _Love?_ “Whatever it is, don’t lose pieces of yourself over somebody else.”

“Thanks, Opal. I’ll keep that in mind.” Love was so _foreign_ to her. Did she even know _how_ to show it? Did she even know what it meant to _love_ and _be loved?_ Asami sighed, trying to get the word out of her mind. “Actually, there’s another reason why I wanted to see you.”

Intrigued, the other woman’s face perked up. “Oh, what’s up?”

“I just, I have to ask. What happened to our friendship?”

The Beifong thought for a moment, trying to find the words to respond. After a minute of mental deliberation, she began, “Where do I start? You kind of...pushed everyone away. I tried reaching out to you, but you never responded to any of my messages or calls. To put it simply, I guess I got tired of waiting for you to talk to me.” She sighed. “Then, Kuvira left and I-I assumed it was because of you. That’s when I started disliking you.”

“She-she _did_ leave because of me.” Hearing it come out of her own mouth made Asami shiver. This was the first time she had admitted it to herself- _she_ was the cause of her broken friendships-

“It wasn’t, though!” Opal interrupted the self-deprecating thoughts that were beginning to cloud her mind. “It was because of your _father._ I hated your guts because I thought you broke Kuvira’s heart, but I know now that that wasn’t the case.”

Asami stared at the other woman in confusion. _Did she just accuse me of breaking_ Kuvira’s _...heart?_ She finally found her voice. “Broke her...her heart? What do you mean?”

Opal chuckled at her friend’s lack of awareness, “Asami, Kuvira absolutely _adored_ you! And not in a best friend kind of way. I thought the reason why she left was because she finally confessed how she felt and you didn’t feel the same way. I mean, I _knew_ you didn’t, but- uh... I thought what made her leave was the heartbreak you caused.” She took her hand away from Asami’s. “You weren’t the only person she left behind, Asami.”

The nurse let the last comment hover over her head. _Opal...had a thing...for Kuvira?!_ _And Kuvira had a thing for...me?_ Asami’s mouth felt dry. This was a whole new revelation and she didn’t know how to respond. “Opal, I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t know! I swear-”

“It’s okay!” The other laughed. “Kuvira and I are actually, uh, _together_ now.” Opal’s face immediately turned red. “I should be the one apologizing to you. I was such a bad friend for not trying hard enough. When Kuvira finally opened up about your past together, I realized I was acting like a childish, jealous bitch. I regret not being there for you.”

“I hated you, too. Not just you, but Bolin, Mako, and Kuvira,” Asami admitted. “I spent every day despising all of you for not being there for me, for just dropping me out of the blue. But I was at fault, too. Friendships need to be watered by both parties for it to grow, for it to be healthy.” She moved her attention to the plants again. “All of the hate and selfishness I had in me for years turned me into someone so cold and heartless.”

Opal gave her a sad, but hopeful smile. “I just hope you can forgive us. I’d really like to be friends with you again.” She added, “I don’t think you’re cold or heartless. I think you’re just hurt and you need to pick yourself back up again.”

Asami gave her the same smile back. Talking to Opal was always therapeutic, calming. “I’d really like that.”

  
  
  


Opal was the first person after Kuvira who Asami confronted. After speaking to both of her old friends, the heiress realized that there were a number of things she needed to _fix_ about herself and the life she was living. Asami needed to face her fears, to confront the pain and loneliness she felt and not try to run away anymore. Asami needed to put her own self back together again, without help from anyone. 

It took Asami a while to comprehend what it meant to truly be _alone_ . Sure she had spent all of those years isolated from any type of affection, but those years were spent with _hatred_ in her heart. What was different this time, was that she _wanted_ to be alone, she had a _purpose_ to being alone. It was time to take back the light the darkness had stolen from within her. It was time to let go of the hate rotting in her heart and replace it with _forgiveness_ and... _love?_

~~~

The first thing Asami worked on was feeling comfortable in her loneliness. She convinced herself to change up the environment she considered home. Sitting alone in a room painted plain white reminded her of the loss, grief, and pain she felt as she sat beside her dying mother in a four-by-four hospital room. She decided to repaint the walls a pastel red color, a subtle hue that her mother would definitely appreciate. But even with the change of color, her walls still felt bare. The only thing hanging from the four walls was a single black clock. 

Asami searched and searched for different objects, memories, anything to spice up the walls she would be forcing herself to stare at as she made the changes in her life. First, she set up shelves to hold the potted cactuses she had bought from Uncle Iroh. Then, she started plastering frame after frame of childhood pictures she had stumbled upon when she explored her hallway’s closet. One in particular, was a picture of her sitting on Yasuko’s lap, her arms wrapped around her mother’s neck. She decided to put the large picture on top of the new couch. To complete her living room, Asami shopped for furniture that was comfortable enough to relax on. Unlike the board-like couch she once had, now, sitting in front of one of the walls, was a grey couch with thin, black lines going down the fabric. So what if she bought it from a sketchy thrift store in the plaza? So what if it was kind of ugly? To Asami, it was the missing piece to complete her newly improved living room. The heiress had also purchased a large woven black rug that brought everything together. She got rid of the coffee table and repositioned the rest of the furniture so that the room was more inviting and warm. The array of large potted plants perfectly placed in the living room made it that more homey. 

Next, was her bedroom. Asami entered what should have been the most personalized room in her condo. Everything was _perfect_. The bed was perfectly made, no wrinkles in the sheets. The bedside tables looked like they were newly painted, no scratches. The mirror hanging above the modern bed frame had no smudges. It was as if nobody slept in the room, and maybe Asami never did. The only thing that looked out of place were the dying panda lilies sitting in a small vase atop her dresser. Asami reached out for them and noticed their dry appearance, colors fading. She held them in her hands for a short while and decided this was the last time Korra would ever come into her mind. 

  
  


To begin her newfound alone time, Asami had also changed her schedule. She wasn’t working six days a week anymore. She now had a regular nursing schedule- three days of work, three days off and repeat. The heiress had embraced the emptiness she felt, replacing it with self love and appreciation. On her days off, she would cook new recipes instead of ordering out. When she didn’t feel like cooking, she tried out new restaurants and sat happily by herself. She went to the gym and hiked more. She started binge-watching cringey TV shows. She even got that tattoo she had wanted for a while, but never had the time or guts to get. College student Asami would definitely like who she was becoming. But even with all of these changes, Asami still felt like she was missing _something._

What Asami did, that surprised even herself, was reach out to a friend, to _Opal._ The Beifong had recommended confronting the other friends she had cut off in the past. Thinking this might be a good suggestion, Asami confronted the brothers at work, who she found sitting in the cafe during a lunch break. She confidently walked up to them and instantly asked what caused the drift in their friendship. 

Mako, looking astonished, nervously responded, “Because you locked me out.” After noticing that Asami wanted him to elaborate, he gulped and continued, “We were in love and then suddenly, it’s like I never existed, like I was nothing to you. _I_ was happy, but I knew you weren’t. I just didn’t know why.” 

Asami sighed, trying to figure out how to respond back. She _was_ a bad girlfriend in the end. She never communicated how she felt about him, about Kuvira leaving. Old Asami had put all of her anger on her ex-boyfriend and in the end, this had made their relationship unhealthy, toxic even. “I’m so...sorry I did that to you, Mako. I was just so _confused_.” She never came out to either of the brothers, though she guessed they already knew by now. Still, she confessed, “I, um, had just come out to Kuvira. I mean, I knew I was bi even before dating you, but I never vocally admitted it. When I finally did, I realized that maybe I wasn’t so sure if I really liked you or not.”

The brothers looked at each other. Bolin, who had the biggest grin on his face, said to Mako, “Pay up, chump!” The older brother groaned and took out a ten dollar bill from his pocket. 

At Asami’s look of confusion, Mako explained, “We made a bet when you started working on the unit. Bolin said there was something going on between you and Korra. I thought you both were just being gal pals. I honestly still don’t know what’s really going on, but now that you mentioned being bisexual, I kind of get it?” He cleared his throat. “Wu and I are together.”

Asami chuckled, “Don’t you think I know that? He works on my unit, Mako, he talks about you all the time. Plus, I have _eyes._ I saw the way you two acted around each other at Kya’s party.” His face instantaneously turned red at the mention of Wu. After a moment, she started again, “On the night we had our last fight, I called you over so that I can try to _validate_ the feelings I thought I once had for you. Turns out, the love wasn’t there and I felt so disgusted with myself for using you. I was angry at myself and I took it out on the closest person by me at the time.”

“I figured that was why you wanted me over. When Kuvira left, I knew you were hurting. I know you wanted to feel something other than the grief you had over losing your friend.” He confessed, “I’m not innocent either, Asami. I said some terrible, terrible things to you. This apology’s late, but I-I’m sorry for all of it.”

Bolin nodded, “I’m sorry, too! I was young, I didn’t know any better. I followed what Kuvira, Opal, and Mako did. I was unaware of what you were going through, I should’ve been there for you!” An empathetic look in his eyes, he said, “I’m not like that anymore, though. I make my own decisions now and what I’m choosing to do is be a better _friend_ . It wasn’t your fault that you pushed us away. We were being _jerks_! You’re part of the Boo Boo Krew now, Asami.”

The nurse gave the brothers a warm smile. Hearing their apologies and their perspectives had loosen the tightness she had been feeling in her chest. _Forgive_ , that’s what she needed to do. “I’d love to make things right with you two again.”

~~~

After a couple of months, Asami was stagnant again. Even after confronting and forgiving her friends, which took out a heap of energy from the nurse, something else was still _missing_ . To stop herself from constantly trying to figure out _what_ , she decided to go out. 

Asami had found herself in a small, pleasant family-owned restaurant in downtown Republic City. Here, she had found the best dried fish and seaweed noodles and that’s exactly what she ordered this time around. She didn’t know why, but the atmosphere had felt familial. The family was always welcoming, having a certain charm that reminded her of- 

The heiress blinked. Someone familiar had walked in and was now approaching her.

“Hey, Sato!” Broad shoulders, a built figure, and golden eyes were watching her. _Iroh._ He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down. An expensive scent of cologne filled the air. It was manly and alluring. 

“Wh-what are you doing here, Iroh?” She hadn’t seen the man since _Uncle Iroh_ had arranged for them to go on a couple of dates, about a year and a half ago. Asami had ended their relationship after finding out that Iroh was a travel nurse, only staying in one spot for so long before finding a job elsewhere.

He shrugged. “I got a _permanent_ job at the hospital you work at. Crazy world, huh?”

The two spent the rest of the night together catching up, drinking, and enjoying each other’s company. Asami didn’t know how or when, but after a quick blur, she was pinned up against one of her repainted walls, Iroh’s lips traveling around her neck. Her clothes were gone and the man in front of her was just in the slacks he was wearing earlier. She let her hands roam from the ridges of his solid abdomen down to his zipper. Suddenly, Iroh grabbed her from behind and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, entangling her long fingers in his soft, dark hair. Is _this_ what Asami was missing? Was this _love?_ She let his tongue explore hers as he began making his way to her bedroom…

~~~

When Asami woke up, she had a killer headache. _Oh, what the fuck did I do?_ She stared at the sleeping figure beside her. The man looked so at peace, even more handsome in the light. With a single finger, Asami poked his shoulder, trying to wake him. 

He groaned and slowly fluttered his eyes open. He gave the woman a smile, “Good morning, lovely.”

Asami quickly sat up, covering her naked torso with the sheets. “Iroh, no. We can’t do this, I can’t do this.”

Iroh mimicked her position, sitting opposite away from her. “Wha- did I...do something wrong? I didn’t force you to do anything last night, ri-?”

“No! No, you were great. Oh, spirits, _more than great!_ But I-I’m not ready for-” She pointed at him and then to herself “-this.”

The man stood up and started putting his clothes on. “Oh, okay.” He smiled at her, “I get it.”

“I don’t want to hurt your feelings, Iroh. I just, I’m getting over someone. I don’t want to start anything just yet.”

Iroh walked up to her and held her hand, giving her knuckles a soft kiss. “I understand, Asami. It’s okay! I actually have to get going, though.” He stood up and headed for the door, “You were great, too.” He chuckled. “Okay, I’ll let myself out.”

When she heard the front door close, Asami screamed into her sheets. _Whatever happened last night_ was definitely not the thing she was _missing_. 

~~~

That wasn’t the last day she had seen Iroh. It turned out that the two were _neighbors._ He had moved to the unit a couple of condos across from her. Though they had a sticky past, being around him surprisingly wasn’t awkward at all. Actually, it was _refreshing_ . Iroh had become a close companion, someone she could rant to after a tough day of work while they grabbed dinner. And after months developing this routine with him, she finally talked about Korra. Asami made sure not to _name_ the Inuit while she ranted about the frustration and heartache the blue-eyed woman had given her. To her surprise, Iroh _listened._

So when Asami had seen the same blue eyes glaring at her new friend in the hallway, she couldn’t help but feel a little bit angry. _Korra_ was the one that left and _Iroh_ was the one that stayed and listened. The Inuit had no reason to be jealous - _she_ was the one that didn’t want her. To stop Korra from mentally strangling Iroh, Asami had pushed him away from the scene.

Now, she was speed walking down the hallway. If she was being honest, Asami _didn’t_ want to talk to the woman that had been avoiding her for months. But she knew that she had to, so maybe she could listen just until she got to Iroh’s car, assuming that Korra would follow her.

“So, you two are _just_ friends?” The Inuit asked as the two nurses entered the staff elevators. The doors slowly closed and Asami moved herself across the floor to hold onto the bar sticking out from the wall. Korra stayed adjacent from her, pressing the lower level button.

Asami couldn’t help the annoyance from escaping her throat. “Are you fucking kidding me?” She began to raise her voice, “Is that _really_ what you want to talk about, Korra?! You haven’t spoken to me in _months_ and you want to talk about _Iroh-!?”_

Suddenly, the lights began flickering and the elevator started to rock from one side to the other. A deafening screeching sound minimized Asami’s scream. She grabbed onto the bar tighter and tighter, and lowered herself to the floor, keeping her eyes closed. Her breathing became labored as she began feeling anxiety and fear creeping up from under her. Once she opened them, the elevator had stopped rocking. Korra was on the other side of her, clutching her knees against her chest. The lights had gone out and the two were surrounded by silence and a sea of darkness. 

“Asami! A-are you okay?! Talk to me!” Korra’s worried voice filled the air.

Asami tried to move towards her, but Korra instantly warned, “Don’t move.”

Realizing that they were coming down from the _seventh_ floor and they were probably hanging in midair, Asami stopped herself, “I’m okay.” She slowly reached for the phone in her pocket. _Fuck_ , _of course we don’t have signal!_ Shining her phone light towards Korra, she instructed, “You’re going to have to press the alarm and call buttons.” The Inuit did as she was told, keeping her posture straight as she reached for the round buttons. 

The two sat in an uncomfortable, scary silence. The heiress began thinking about Korra’s sudden show of interest in her. Just as she had convinced herself that she was over the ridiculously cute grin and soft, tan skin, Korra came back out of the blue and reminded her of just why it was so hard to let go in the first place. After fifteen minutes of cursing in her head, Asami scoffed, “You have no right coming back and acting jealous after seeing me with a cute guy, Korra.” Her anger was heightened. “ _You’re_ the one that left! You expect nothing to change on my end? Well, you’re wrong, Korra Waters. _Everything_ ’ _s_ changed. _I’ve_ changed!” She stopped herself at the sound of soft sobbing coming from Korra’s corner. _Is Korra...crying?_

Asami’s anger faded and next thing she knew, she was slowly and carefully scooting herself across the dirty floor to Korra. The elevator creaked again, but the fear she once had was gone. Though she was still squatting and her legs felt like they were about to give in, something in her heart had pulled her towards Korra, and had urged her to be _near_ the Inuit. With each foot attentively moving forward, she successfully maneuvered herself to where Korra was sitting. 

The other woman had her head buried in her arms, which were resting on her knees. Asami could feel the woman shaking as she circled her arms around her. In a softer cadence, the heiress said, “I-I’m sorry I yelled. You must be so scared, I-” The woman in her arms was breathing heavily and deeply. Asami tried lifting Korra’s head up, but she wouldn’t budge. “Hey, you can’t breathe. You need to breathe, Korra!” 

Finally realizing that the other nurse was having a panic attack, Asami let her arms fall to her sides and she started instructing Korra through the wave of panic. “Breathe in _deep_ and exhale.” Korra followed. “Good. Close your eyes and keep breathing, picture your chest going up and down. I’m here, I’m not going anywhere.” 

After a few more breaths, the nurse’s breathing had become leveled and slowly, her head lifted up. “We-we have to get out of here, Asami. I feel like, like I’m being confined. The walls are closing in and I feel like I’m being suffocated.”

Asami grabbed her hands and held onto them tight. “I know you’re scared, Korra, but we can’t make any sudden movements, okay? We’ll get out. You’re not alone. I’m right here, I’m not going to let you go.” She carefully got on her knees and circled her arms around Korra again. The Inuit seemed to relax at the gesture.

  
  
  


After what felt like forever, the two began hearing yelling from below them. It was a man or two? Maybe five? The group of people were chatting, trying to figure out how to get the elevator fixed and lowered to the basement. One particular voice caught Asami’s attention. Iroh was talking them through the situation, assuring them that they were going to be safe. In an instant, the elevator lights flared on. The two nurses looked up, then smiled at one another. Asami noticed a hint of exhaustion, even sadness, in Korra’s eyes. Before she was going to probe the other woman with questions, a rumbling noise filled the small room, the elevator was working again!

Asami wrapped Korra in another embrace, realizing that this warmth was something she had missed. When she let go, the doors opened and outside were a group of administrators and maintenance people Asami would only see walking down the halls. Iroh pushed himself through the crowd, a look of concern on his face. He knelt down beside the two women, helping Asami up. The heiress never let go of the grasp she had on Korra’s arms. 

“When you didn’t come to the parking lot, I got so worried! I hurried back in the hospital and all of these guys were surrounding the elevators.” He sighed, “Asami, I’m glad you’re okay.”

She gave him a small smile, “Thanks, Iroh.” She faced Korra, “Can we take her home?” The Inuit was staring elsewhere, eyes seeming to gloss over. 

~~~

When the three nurses arrived at Opal’s apartment, Asami asked Iroh to wait for her on the curb. She wanted to walk Korra to her home. She needed to know that Korra was safe.

To Asami’s astonishment, Kuvira had opened the door. The Unidad awkwardly scratched her head. “Uh, hey.” She moved out of the way so the two could come inside. 

“Hi,” Asami greeted. Her and Kuvira stood by one another uncomfortably as Korra headed straight to her bedroom, without a word. 

“Is she okay? What’s going on?” 

Asami explained the elevator fiasco and Korra’s panic attack. “I want to make sure she’s okay.”

“She will be.” Kuvira started heading towards the hallway leading to Korra’s room. “It’s been happening more often.”

Asami’s eyebrows knit together. A lot _has_ changed. The heiress impulsively grabbed Kuvira’s hand, “I’ll stay with her. I mean, if that’s okay with, um, Opal.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Opal’s...asleep, but yeah, of course.” After a while, she smiled, “I’m glad you’re here, Asami. You’re welcome anytime, you know that, right?” 

She smiled back and nodded. With that, Kuvira walked back to the room she shared with her lover. Asami texted Iroh, letting him know he could leave. 

  
  
  


Once Asami entered Korra’s room, the first thing she noticed was the white furball laying on the foot of the bed. Naga’s ears perked up at the sound of her footsteps, she stared up at Asami, and after realizing that the nurse would not bring any harm to her owner, put her head down again. The nurse continued to walk towards Korra, who was now snuggled up under the sheets. The next thing Asami noticed was the piles of dirty t-shirts, socks, and scrubs scattered throughout the floor. 

“Hey. I wanted to stay here tonight, if that was okay with you.”

Korra turned her body to the side, away from Asami. “Okay. You can grab some clothes in the dresser by you.”

After a moment, Asami found the dresser the Inuit was talking about. Piled on top, unintentionally hiding it, was a giant used blanket. She opened a drawer and grabbed a baggy T-shirt and shorts. In Korra’s bathroom, she stared at herself in the dirty, smudged mirror. She smiled at the way Korra’s clothes looked on her. The grey Southern Water Tribe Uni shirt was definitely the Inuit’s. Asami shook her head, taking the smile off of her face. What was she doing? She’s over Korra. In fact, she was _mad_ at Korra. Upset, frustrated, _hurt_ because of Korra. Is it too late to call Iroh and ask him to pick her up? She ran a hand through her long, black waves. Why did being here, in this messy, unorganized room, feel exactly like the place she needed to be? After a while, she finally exited the bathroom.

Korra was still in the same position she was in earlier. Thinking she was asleep, Asami slowly climbed into the bed, trying to maintain a good amount of space away from the Inuit. 

“This is why I was avoiding you.”

Asami turned to face Korra’s back. “What do you mean?”

“I’m a _mess_ , Asami.”

“You’re not a mess.” Asami inched closer, but stopped herself from going too near the other body. “Kuvira mentioned you’ve been having panic attacks. What’s going on, Korra?”

Korra grimaced. After a moment of quiet, she began. “I was in a bad car accident before I started college. I crashed my car in between these giant trees and all I remember is not being able to move. I felt so...suffocated, stuck in place, unable to get out. I cried and screamed for help, but there wasn’t anyone there.” She shuddered. “That’s what it felt like in the elevator.” 

Asami reached out and rested her hand on Korra’s shoulder. She turned around and faced the heiress. “Asami, when I said I wanted to work on myself, I meant it. I was doing so _good_ ! Then the panic attacks started happening again and the only thing stopping them was keeping myself busier and busier. I worked more and when I didn’t, I was out drinking or working out.” Korra sat herself up. “I didn’t want you to see me like this.” She motioned for the heiress to look around her pigsty. “I wanted you to meet me again while I was at my _best._ ”

The heiress mirrored the other woman’s position. “But Korra, at what cost did it take? Everything’s changed. You lost the time you should have been getting to know _me_ by walking away.” She exhaled forcefully. “But I’m still here and I still care. I guess that hasn’t changed.”

“I’m sorry I ignored you. I’m sorry I didn’t reach out to you when I should have. I didn’t want you to be my clutch, but all that did was push you away. I hurt you and if everything did change for you, then that’s okay, too.”

“I get it, Korra. I forgive you.” All at once, Asami felt calmer than ever. It was as if that piece she was missing was near, so close for her to reach. “Just promise you won’t leave like that in the future.”

Korra nodded, “I won’t. I’m not leaving anymore.” She laid back down, now facing Asami. 

Asami lowered herself into the bed and moved to her side so that she was face to face with the Inuit. “So...what happens now?”

“I’d like to try and be friends.” Korra gave Asami a promising smile.

She returned the expression. “Yeah, let’s be...friends.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> question of the day: how did ya'll feel when you found out korrasami was endgame? how did it feel reading the comics where the two came out to their families & friends?


	12. Does Your Mind Play This Game Too?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi folks, hope your week is going great :D here's another chapter!
> 
> here's my tumblr: https://appasxarrow.tumblr.com/
> 
> here's our TLOK/ATLA discord invite: https://discord.gg/eUHG7XBYFA

Asami moved her arm, up and down, across the bed. The emptiness and cold fabric caused her to jolt up. The woman occupying the space beside her was nowhere to be seen and panic caused her heart to contract a little bit faster than usual. She sat up and grabbed her phone at the table beside her, hoping Korra had at least texted her where she went. Asami groaned at the two messages she had from Iroh. Deciding that her neighbor could wait a little longer for a response, she lifted the blankets off of her and chose to search for the Inuit instead.

Opal was sitting on the kitchen counter, fully dressed in her scrubs and eating a bowl of cereal. “Mornin’!” The Beifong gave her a wide grin. “So, Korra finally came around?”

“Yeah.” Asami sat on the stool next to her.

“And how do you feel about it?”

She sighed, remembering the conversation her and Korra had shared that night. “I…I’m still upset about her just flat out ignoring me, but I get it. What I’m more upset about is how she could just push me away when something’s clearly going on with her.”

Opal nodded, watching the heiress’s eyebrows knit together and frown becoming deeper. “Honestly, I was oblivious to it all, too. I just found out about the panic attacks this morning from Kuvira.”

Asami tensed at the name Opal brought up. Kuvira and her had rekindled their friendship, though they only texted sometimes and never really hung out, but she couldn’t help the small feeling of jealousy bubbling in her abdomen. “Oh.”

Opal nodded again. “Mhm.” She grabbed her empty bowl and walked over to the sink. “So, are you two together now or-“

“No!-” Catching her tone, she started again. “-No. We talked about being friends.”

Opal shook her head and chuckled. She turned around to face Asami and smirked, “Riiiiight. We’ll see how that goes.”

Asami glared at the other woman. What was she insinuating? “What do you mea-“

The apartment doors swung open, revealing the woman Asami had been searching for. Korra walked in, holding two cups of coffee and a small, brown paper bag. Her eyes wandered from the smirking Opal and the glaring Asami. “Uh, hey, guys.” She walked past Opal and sat next to Asami, dropping the items she was holding onto the countertop. “I went to grab us some breakfast. Some coffee to replace the one I spilled on you that day we first met and two croissant sandwiches to make it up to you.”

Asami couldn’t stop the smile from forming on her face. She remembered that day like the back of her hand. Korra, a stumbling mess, had ran into her and in the process, tipped over the coffee Asami was holding (and was looking forward to drinking). The hot liquid had gotten all over her scrubs and her hair. To make it worse, Korra had tried to pat her dry with the jacket she was holding. Asami was angry, sure, but it soon dissipated at the sight of Korra’s cute, flustered face. This day was definitely unforgettable.

“I hope one of those is mine.” Opal stared at both coffees and tried to grab one.

Korra yanked the cup Opal was reaching for and handed it to Asami. “Get your own cup, Beifong.”

Asami smiled at Korra’s sweet gesture. She looked at her friend standing by the sink and she joked, “Or have _Kuvira_ get you one.”

At the sound of her name, Kuvira walked out of Opal’s room. She was also wearing some scrubs, matching the color of her girlfriend’s. Korra noticed the matching uniforms and she giggled. “Aw, how cute! Look at you two!” She teased, pretending to take a picture of them on her phone.

Opal’s face instantly turned bright red. She huffed and grabbed her car keys from the counter. “Okay, okay. We’ll leave you two _love birds_ alone so you can finish your little breakfast date.” The woman started walking towards the front door.

Kuvira met Asami’s eyes and she gave her a half wave. “’Sup.”

“Hey.”

Kuvira moved and followed in Opal’s steps, but before leaving the apartment, she turned around and rested a hand on Korra’s shoulder. The two stared at each other for a couple of seconds, to Asami it felt like forever. When Korra finally nodded her head, Kuvira let go and nodded back. Then, the Unidad opened the front door and left the two alone.

Whatever telepathic communication thing they just shared made Asami’s jaw clench unintentionally. She couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy from traveling up to her chest and to her throat. There was suddenly a bad taste in her mouth. _No, no. No, Asami. Not again. Kuvira has Opal, and you and Korra are just friends. That’s all over now._ She took a sip from the coffee to stop the taste and to wake her from her own overthinking.

Korra’s voice cut through the voice in her head. “Are you okay, ‘Sami?”

“Yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking.”

“About?” She leaned in closer towards the other nurse, concern was beginning to show in those deep, blue eyes. _Curse those eyes!_

“What we’re going to do today,” Asami lied. “Tenzin gave us the day off for that whole incident last night, remember?”

“Yeah, as if a single day off makes up for all the trauma,” Korra scoffed. After a second, she said, “About last night… I want to apologize again for ignoring you for so long. It wasn’t easy for me; I just didn’t want you to see me in such a messy state. You’ve seen my room, it’s a good representation of what’s happening up here.” She pointed to her head.

“You promised me you wouldn’t push me away anymore. As long as you don’t break that promise, we’re going to be okay.”

Korra smiled. “Well, technically I promised I wouldn’t _leave_ anymore, but I _guess_ I can promise you another thing, too.”

Asami rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in fake annoyance. “You just ruined a perfectly good, sappy moment.” Korra laughed, her smile reaching to her eyes. Asami melted at how adorable she looked. She found herself instantly smiling back.

Korra forced Asami to uncross her arms. She held out a long, brown pinky between them. Asami raised an eyebrow in confusion. The other woman chuckled, “I’m _pinky promising_ you, ‘Sami!”

The heiress held out her pinky, just like her companion, and locked it together with Korra’s. The Inuit moved her thumb forward and pressed it onto hers. “There, pinky promise.”

“So, you wanted to hang out with me today?” Korra wiggled her eyebrows.

Asami humorously rolled her eyes, unable to stop the blush creeping to her cheeks from the little moment she was sharing with her friend. _Right, friend._

~~~

Korra and Asami found themselves standing on a sparring mat at the gym. After an hour of boredly staring at their phones, lounging on the couch, and searching for things to do on their surprise day off, the two women had finally decided on getting their bodies active. Asami was the one who challenged Korra to a sparring match, to which the Inuit had proudly flexed her biceps and gloated, “You think you have a chance against _these_ guns?”

Now, Korra was bouncing up and down on her toes, trying to shake her nervousness away. This was a good idea in the beginning, but after staring at the woman she had idiotically flexed to, her palms started to become sweatier and sweatier. Something about the way Asami looked with her wavy hair tied up in a high ponytail and with the black, high waisted shorts and red Nike sports bra perfectly hugging her figure, made her feel even more flustered. She mentally screamed at herself. _Get it together, Korra!_

Asami moved her head from side to side, trying to hear that familiar cracking sound. After a second, she fixed her stance, holding her fisted gloves up to her face, and gave Korra a smug smile. “Ready?”

Korra nodded once and mimicked Asami’s stance. She tried to remember the defensive strategies she learned with her sparring instructor, deciding ultimately to wait for Asami to make the first move. It didn’t take long for the heiress to do so. She took a jab at Korra’s left shoulder, unable to land the punch as Korra maneuvered her body to the right. Before the Inuit could bring her hands up to defend, Asami drove another fist to her right, this time administering a painful punch. Korra finally felt what a _real_ hit felt like. _Okay, so Asami’s fast!_ She glanced up at the other woman, her smirk hadn’t left her face. Korra wondered if she could smell just how nervous she was.

Korra quickly shrugged the soreness radiating off of her shoulder and her own anxiety away. In one speedy motion, she attacked with a right hook after a left. Asami dodged both, no surprise to her. Korra repositioned herself and gave Asami a powerful kick, aiming to the right side of her ribcage. The heiress blocked the attack with both hands, grunting at the amount of strength needed to stop it. The two continued to spar like this for fifteen minutes, not necessarily landing any significant blows, but doing a lot of tiresome blocking and defending. 

Now, the two were glaring at one another, breathing heavily, dripping with sweat and exhaustion. Korra’s vision was almost blinded by the drops of sweat falling from her forehead. Asami’s endurance kept her body moving more than she had ever moved in a span of fifteen long minutes. Though she was huffing and puffing, the noise of her heart pounding in her ears gave her the energy to keep going.

She lunged forward, hoping to deliver a swift uppercut to a tired Asami’s jaw. Her concentration was cut short once she saw the nurse purse her lips together. Asami’s cheeks puffed out, as she tried to blow away the strand of hair that had fallen from her face. _She’s so fucking cute. Spirits, what is happening to me!?_

Korra’s face softened and her limbs loosened at the adorable sight in front of her. Suddenly, her legs began giving out and she found herself tripping over her own two feet, falling on Asami. _Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!_

Korra’s body landed on Asami’s as the heiress’s back reached the floor with a loud thud. “Umph!” Korra’s eyes were closed shut and once she opened them, she was met with the most heartstopping view. Their faces were just _inches_ apart and Korra could definitely smell Asami’s enticing scent. Asami had fluttered her own eyes open, too, long lashes flowing upwards in what felt like slow motion. Korra almost forgot how green the other woman’s eyes truly were. It was as if she was laying in a never ending field of green. Up close, she noticed the small amount of sun spots peppered on Asami’s soft skin. The heiress wasn’t wearing any make-up today, but her skin was still as radiant as ever. Her pink lips were so full, shimmered by what Korra figured was cherry chapstick by the scent cutting through the coconut shampoo. Korra never really believed anything or anyone could ever be perfect, but in this moment, she was sure that Asami was the closest thing to perfection. 

“Earth to Korra?”

In a single blink, everything seemed to be moving at normal speed again. Korra had felt the warmth of Asami’s breath on her own lips and she instantly remembered the position she was in. _Fuuuuuuckkkk!_ She was straddling the other woman, gloved hands on either side of Asami’s head. She was looking straight down at the other woman’s face, hoping that the brown hair falling from her own head was covering the blush she knew had been painted on her cheeks the moment they had fallen. Korra swiftly moved her body away, rolling to Asami’s side and mirroring how she was laying, back stuck to the mat. She was feeling hot all over and the rhythm of her heartbeat was even more concerning than before.

Korra muttered, “Sorry.” She kept her eyes on the ceiling as Asami moved to her side to face her.

“That’s the second strike, Waters. You’re clumsier at the gym than at work. It’s a good thing coffee wasn’t involved this time.”

“Oh, how could I ever make it up to you, Miss Sato?” Korra pretended to think, putting a hand on her chin. “More coffee and croissants?” 

“Get dinner with me.” Asami’s response was instant.

Korra blinked. “Uh, wh- like, like a _date_?” She turned to face the other. Her heart was definitely doing somersaults in her chest now.

Asami’s own words finally dawned on her. “What? Pshh, no! Well, sure, like-like a friend date.” _I’m an idiot._ She mentally slapped her forehead as she reminded herself that she was _over_ the nurse in front of her. How ever charming and sweet Korra was, Asami was not going to let herself get hurt all over again, not by the same person. They were _friends_ , that was all. She could grab a _casual_ dinner with her...buddy, right? She does it with Iroh all the time and that relationship, to her, was strictly platonic. 

“Oh, yeah! That’s what I, uh, meant.” Korra gave her a nervous smile. 

~~~

After their workout session, the two nurses had gone to their respective homes. For an early dinner, they both agreed to meet in the middle, at the pocket park they had seen while walking to the gym. Asami stared at her outfit choice in the mirror hanging from her bedroom wall. She had on a plain, white t-shirt tucked into her rolled-up mom jeans. The black and white checkered Vans completed her casual look. She took a glance at her hair, perfectly tied up in a messy bun, and decided that she was ready to go. Asami hoped that the casual look didn’t scream “desperation”. She wanted to look _good_ , Asami always took pride in her appearance, but she didn’t want Korra to know that she was trying just for her. Asami rolled her eyes at how silly and mushy her thought process was.

_She’s just a friend...A friend that invited you to eat with her right after_ you _invited her to dinner. Fuck, what am I getting myself into?_

Her train of thought was suddenly interrupted by the buzzing in her back pocket. Hoping it was Korra, she quickly reached for it. She stared at the name on her phone. _Iroh._ She sighed and decided to check the messages and finally respond to her neighbor. 

**_10:57 PM_ **

**Iroh the Nurse:** Hope you and Korra are okay. Let me know if you need anything.

_______

**_6:08 AM_ **

**Iroh the Nurse:** Heading to work! Still wanna grab dinner later?

_______

**_9:14 AM_ **

**Iroh the Nurse:** I just admitted a person who swallowed nine pennies. Not ten, NINE. 

_______

**_1:43 PM_ **

**Iroh the Nurse:** Asami, I’m worried. Don’t tell me Korra murdered you in your sleep.

**_5:45 PM_ **

**Me** : all good here. busy day, can’t make it to dinner sorry. will make it up to you. *thumbs up emoji*

Thinking that was a good enough response, she grabbed her handbag and sunglasses and headed for the park.

  
  


When Asami reached the entrance of the enclosure, excitement coursed through her veins _._

The pocket park was sandwiched between two tall buildings, but wasn’t overshadowed by them at all. When Asami entered, the smooth sound of music caught her attention. Against one of the buildings were a couple of young, street musicians surrounded by several people. One in particular was softly strumming a familiar tune on his guitar. The other held a mic and was singing, voice silky smooth and angelic. Asami couldn’t help but shiver at how divine they both sounded together, at how _perfect_ the mood was on this particular night. The song they were paying homage to was somewhat familiar to Asami, having heard it on the radio a couple of times, _Like I Want You by Giveon._

_Sometimes I wish you knew_

_But I disguise the truth_

_I say I'm happy but I'm still stuck on us, mm-mm-mm_

_Does your mind play this game too?_

_Think 'bout me and you_

_I guess I'll just pretend until it all makes sense, hm-mm-hm, hm-hm..._

She wandered to one of the wooden picnic benches on the other side of the small, but delightful park. Backyard lights were hung high from one tall tree to the next, illuminating the entire compound. Asami watched as small children ran around the grassy areas, smiling at how youthful and innocent they were. It was a cool, summer day and the sun had just started to set. She marveled at the colors of the sky, hues of pink, yellow, and purple painted above her. 

  
  


In the corner of her eye, she noticed Korra approaching her, carrying two plastic bags worth of food. The young nurse almost mimicked Asami’s outfit, but a black jean jacket was around her shoulders. She put them down on the table and reached out to give Asami a full embrace. The heiress stood up and returned the gesture, squeezing a little harder than the Inuit. The two then sat on a single bench, smiling at one another. 

After a beat, Asami said, “Wow, that’s a lot of food.” She eyed the containers Korra was retrieving from each bag.

“When I first moved to Republic City, my time management sucked ass. I never had time to cook or even go grocery shopping, so I’d grab food from different food trucks parked in the plaza.” Korra handed the other woman a plate that held what looked like small egg rolls. “I grew to love this city because it’s such a safe space for different cultures to mix together and get to know one another.” She pointed at the street food Asami was holding. “This, right here, is called _lumpia_ . It’s from this Filipino food truck. You _have_ to try it!”

Asami smiled at Korra’s enthusiasm. She held one of the egg rolls with two fingers and took a bite. The crunch and savory flavor made Asami almost drool. She continued to chew, savoring the new balance of flavors dancing on her palate. Her eyes widened in appreciation. “W-wow! This is really good!”

Korra chuckled, handing her a new plate. “If you think _that_ was good, you have to try this!” This time, it was a noodle dish of some sort and Asami found herself eager to try the plates her companion had set in front of her. 

The two ate and talked for what felt like minutes. In reality, it had been three hours. They gathered their empty containers and threw them in the trash. 

Korra stretched her arms as she got up from the bench. “Welp, I wouldn’t want to take up your entire night. Let me walk you home.” Asami stood up and held onto her bag, accepting the nurse’s offer. 

The sun had completely set, the string lights hovering above them looked like stars against the dark sky. The two strolled past the musicians, who were beginning to play another melody, and out of the park. Korra couldn’t help but stare up at the heiress. She could clearly see the features of Asami’s face, thanks to the bun that held onto most of her obsidian hair. The shadows created by the streetlights couldn’t take away Asami’s natural beauty. 

“Thanks for today, Korra. I had a lot of fun.”

She gave the other woman a lopsided grin. “I had a lot of fun, too! I can’t believe this is what I missed out on. Even before everything, we never really got to hang out like this, you know? Just the two of us.” As they walked side by side, Korra could still hear the musicians singing and playing in the enclosure they had just left. She hummed to the song.

_It’s a Friday night_

_And the streetlights are all saying your name_

_They always say your name_

_Before you go home, I should let you know_

_I’m so glad that you came_

_I know that we went late…_

Asami faced the Inuit. “Yeah, just the...two of us.” She smiled at Korra, jade eyes still glistening under the moonlight. The heiress opened her mouth as if she was going to say something else, but immediately shut it. 

_But look up at the stars_

_They’re like pieces of art_

_Floating above the ground_

_You know we could fly so far, the universe is ours_

_I’m not gonna let you down…_

Korra didn’t know when they had stopped walking, but the two were now staring at one another. She felt stuck, her feet duct-taped, super-glued, double plastered onto the concrete. The spell Asami had put her under made her heart leap, made her feel fuzzy inside. She wondered how the nurse had the ability to do this to her the entire day. Korra also didn’t know who made the move first, but she felt herself leaning into the spell, still stuck on Asami’s gaze. In a matter of seconds, Korra had both hands on either side of Asami’s neck. The other woman’s own hands pulled their bodies closer, desperately grasping onto the sides of Korra’s shirt. 

_I am feeling so lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky_

_The sun shining down on me, on me, on me, on me_

_Got these angels all around me_

_I’ll never be alone…_

Maybe time had ceased when their lips met, but Korra’s heartbeat only intensified. She could only focus on how soft and addictive Asami’s lips were against her own. Asami had parted her lips open, inviting Korra’s tongue to dance with hers. Heat was traveling from Korra’s abdomen to her chest, still hypnotized by the woman in front of her. It was as if no one else existed. Not the passerby who had walked around them, the cars powering down the road, or the children laughing across the street. One thing she was sure of was that she had put her lucid feelings into that kiss, feelings she had only suppressed for six months and were now hitting her all at once. 

When the two parted, Korra couldn’t bring herself to let go, but Asami was looking at her with disappointment...maybe regret? In an instant, Korra pushed herself away, gaping at the other in confusion, in surprise at her companion’s reaction. The vertigo that consumed her entire being was replaced by what felt like visceral pain. The fluttering in her stomach had transformed into twisting knots that made Korra want to vomit. The warmth in her heart had become almost painful. 

“Korra, I-”

As if on cue, Asami’s words were interrupted by the sound of the heiress’s ringtone. In a second, her own phone started to ring. She reached for the device in her pocket and turned her body around to answer it, pushing away the twisting feeling in her gut and the crumbling sound of her heart breaking. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can ya'll guess the song that was playing in the end of the chap? ;)
> 
> question of the day: how do you switch a nose stud piercing to a hoop piercing? (no relevance to the fic, just really want a hoop piercing haha)


	13. Trouble In Paradise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, there! :) being the crackhead that i am, i spent this entire night writing this chapter because i felt like it. 
> 
> i'm in sort of a *mood*, all i can say is, girls suuuuck (only sometimes). so i figured, why not get YOU all to feel pain, too? hehe
> 
> enjoy & let me know what you think >:)

“So, you knew about Korra’s panic attacks?”

Kuvira knew this was coming. Her girlfriend’s expression was pinched, lips pressed flat, teeth clenched, and arms tightly crossed in front of her chest. Opal’s tone of voice was definitely biting. Korra hadn’t been a topic of conversation until this very moment. It was as if the two had tip-toed around her past adoration for the Inuit, like it never even happened. Opal was never envious of her relationship with Korra until now.

“Yeah. I’ve known for a while.” Kuvira couldn’t lie, not to her.

But it wasn’t as if Korra had let her in easy. The younger nurse had completely cut Kuvira off for three and a half months. Korra had avoided her at all cost like she was the plague. No eye contact, not a single word was ever said to the Unidad. Kuvira was hurt, sure, but she had dealt with heartache before and she knew how to handle the cold shoulder and whiff of hatred coming off of Korra. She gave Korra all the space she needed. The only reason why Kuvira even knew about the Inuit’s secret was because she had accidentally found Korra crying in the break room of their unit late one night, when everyone had already left. Kuvira had forced her way in and insisted on taking the younger nurse home. To her surprise, Korra had let her and during the car ride, the younger nurse had confessed about her battles with the ongoing panic attacks. After that, the two had hung out more and to her surprise, Kuvira enjoyed their platonic conversations.

And besides, she had _Opal_. Opal, who had given her complete patience and understanding, was everything she never knew she needed and wanted in a person. How Kuvira felt about Opal was nearly indescribable, all she was sure of was that Opal was her _yellow._ Being with her was easy and familiar, uncomplicated and freeing. It felt like _fire,_ as if every cell in her body was exploding with genuine happiness whenever the two were togehter. Every emotion and feeling Opal had given her was amplified by a _thousand._ For the first time in a long time, Kuvira felt full and accepted in the presence of another being. 

“And Korra’s who you’ve been attending to all this time?”

Of course, Opal had been _that_ observant. At times, Kuvira would slip out of her own bed after being intertwined with the younger Beifong to answer calls from Korra. She couldn’t help it, Korra had a special (totally friendly) space in her heart. The Inuit had become her closest confidante. She even found herself rambling about her girlfriend whenever the two nurses hung out outside of the panic attack-filled moments. Kuvira couldn’t do that with Bolin or Mako, they were guys, after all. The only other woman in their friend group was Asami, and the heiress seemed way too busy to even have a casual conversation that was unrelated to work.

Kuvira nodded to Opal’s question. They sat in an uncomfortable silence; one they haven’t shared in a long time.

After a moment, Kuvira tried to show some form of intimacy, affection, _something_ , just to show Opal that she was still there, _present_ in their relationship. The air had become thick and Kuvira had a sense that the other woman was upset somehow. About what, she wished she knew. Kuvira moved her arm to grip Opal’s thigh, one arm still on the steering wheel. To her astonishment, the Beifong swiftly motioned her knee away, her light green orbs unmoving from the apparently more interesting buildings passing by the window. Kuvira couldn’t stop the sigh from leaving her throat as she took her hand back and put it on the wheel.

That had been the last conversation the two had. Opal hadn’t taken either of her breaks or lunch with Kuvira. To top it off, Kuvira’s run was nothing but _terrible._ Her six patients were all so _needy_ , so demanding. In total, they had pressed the call light thirty-two times and the shift was far from over. Fortunately for her, two of them were discharged at 6:57 PM. Unfortunately for her, she had to admit a _new_ patient, but of course, she was too busy to do it herself, so she sent Jinora and Kai to receive the new addition to her roster.

The two CNAs had brought the patient up to the unit while Kuvira was charting in the nurses’ station. Shocked, she stared at the man sitting on the bed, already making a ruckus, complaining about the hospital’s customer service to the younger, future nurses. She rubbed her eyes, trying to force herself to wake from the dream she thought she was in, but the figure on the bed remained unmoved. _Fuck!_ She cursed to herself and sped walk into the break room.

There, Kuvira tried to control her breathing. _Exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale…_ She hadn’t seen Hiroshi Sato for _years_ and now the manipulative, evil asshole was in her hospital, in her unit! The cherry on top was that she was his nurse for the next forty-five minutes or so, she _had_ to introduce herself. Kuvira rubbed her temples and read through the chart the ER nurse had told Jinora to give her.

_Myocardial infarction…A fucking heart attack?!_

Suddenly, the doors opened, and Opal walked in, sighing as she saw the other woman. The younger nurse was looking at her with tired eyes, but her facial expression softened at the sight of distress and redness that were evident in Kuvira’s emeralds.

“Hey, you okay?” -The first words Opal had said to her the entire day.

Kuvira sniffed and fixed herself in the chair she was sitting in. “Yeah.” She paused. “Asami’s dad is-is my new admit.”

Remembering the hell the older Sato had put Kuvira through, Opal’s eyebrows knit together. “What’s he doing here? Did you call Asami?”

“Apparently he had a heart attack. I haven’t had the time to introduce myself to him, I just…” She kept her eyes to the table.

Opal noticed Kuvira starting to shake, starting to become undone. It was as if the wound Hiroshi had forced onto the Unidad’s heart all of those years ago had magically reopened and the man himself was generously pouring salt all over it. Opal felt the sting in her own chest as Kuvira began to sniff, probably trying to stop herself from fully crying. Her girlfriend wasn’t the type to show any hints of vulnerability, but Opal understood the damage that Hiroshi had inflicted on the nurse.

In a quick motion, Opal was hovering over her and completely immersing Kuvira into a tight embrace. She could feel the other woman’s breathing becoming more leveled at the contact.

After a moment, Opal let go and Kuvira was staring at her with the most hopeful eyes. “Y-you’re not upset at me anymore?”

Opal sighed. “I…Can we talk about it later?” She looked off to the side, unable to meet the green gems that were yearning for her. “I’ll call Asami.” She got up and walked to her locker to retrieve her stuff. “I’m going to go home with Bolin tonight. I need some space.”

With that, the younger nurse left the room without another word, leaving Kuvira alone to deal with the painful throbbing in her chest.

_What did I do wrong…?_

~~~

Asami had been the first to lean in. She just couldn’t help herself- Korra’s ocean eyes were pulling her closer and closer, deeper and deeper. Like the moon forcing the tides to crash deliberately onto the shore, her own lips had collided onto Korra’s. It was a full moon tonight. The other woman’s gentle hands were softly caressing her face and Asami could melt in the warmth radiating from them forever. When she parted her lips, Korra had deepened the kiss, not trying to win a battle, but seeking for closeness and intimacy. Asami was in complete _bliss_. It felt so… _right_ , so good to be held like this, to be kissed with so much passion and desire. She felt as if she wasn’t in her own body anymore, instead she was floating on cotton candy clouds in a summer sunset. Korra’s touch felt electric against her skin, and in instant she was grounded back to earth once again. She wanted more. She _needed_ more, so much more.

But something was stopping her from fully sinking into the euphoric abyss that was blue eyes and sun-kissed skin. Though the two women had resolved the problems of their past relationship, Asami couldn’t shake the doubt and uncertainty that was pervading her mind. Korra had _left_ her, like everybody else, and in the process, everything had changed. _She_ had changed. She was finally happy in her own loneliness…right?

The nurse had undoubtedly forgiven the Inuit, but a wave of disappointment had hit her all at once. She felt so stupid for letting Korra in so quickly again. The unsettling self-critique made the sweetness of the kiss taste like acid. Was Asami that _easy_? Asami was _over_ Korra…she was, one hundred percent- or at least that’s what she told herself in order to calm the hypocritic voice that was filling her mind with doubt.

As if Korra had heard the words circling her mind, the Inuit searched her eyes with so much false hope, but all she could see was Asami’s hesitation, the regret the heiress couldn’t even hide. Korra’s eyes suddenly glossed over and the brightness was replaced by an eerie, sorrow-filled darkness; Asami’s heart sunk at the sight. Asami could almost hear the other woman’s heart disintegrate into a million pieces…or maybe it was the sound of her own?

The blaring sound of her ringtone halted Asami from trying to pick up the pieces she had just shattered. Surprisingly enough, Korra’s phone began to ring too. The Inuit immediately grabbed her own device and held it to one ear, as if trying to escape from the rejection that was embedded in Asami’s eyes. The heiress finally decided to answer her own.

**_“Asami, I’ve been trying to call you for over half an hour!”_ **

The nurse blinked at Opal’s tone of worry. “Oh, sorry. I was with Korra. Is everything okay?”

**_“Kuvira admitted your dad to the unit before the shift ended. I was too exhausted to stay, but ‘Vira’s been waiting for you to stop by. She didn’t want to leave your dad alone until you got there.”_ **

“M-my dad?! What happened!?”

Now, Korra was staring at her, concern in her eyes. Kuvira was the one that had called her, asking for Asami’s whereabouts and giving Korra a brief summary of the situation happening on the unit. The two nurses stared at one another and as if understanding what they needed to do, bolted for Asami’s garage, which was luckily a couple of blocks away.

Once they got there, Asami grabbed her keys from her handbag and clumsily dropped it on the floor before unlocking the doors to the car. “Shit!”

Korra bent down to grab it and was about to give it to the heiress, when she noticed that her pale hands were trembling. At this moment, Korra knew what to do. She kept the keys, unlocked the doors, and said, “I’m driving.” She held onto Asami’s shuddering hands and pulled her to the passenger’s side. There, she opened the door for Asami and watched her as she put the seatbelt on. Satisfied at the other woman’s safety, she got into her own seat and started nervously driving to ATMC.

The drive there was painfully quiet. Korra so badly wanted to address the _kiss_ but found it too barbaric to be bringing up love in a situation like this. Asami was obviously shaken up, her father’s condition was the only thing on her mind right now, not the stupid kiss she probably was regretting. Korra couldn’t help, but glance over to the other woman every couple of minutes. She was worried and wanted to tell her that everything was going to be fine, but how could she give Asami such false hope?

~~~

After a few more minutes of trying to calm herself down, Kuvira left the breakroom and forced her face to look calm and unbothered. Once she reached Hiroshi’s door, though, the pang in her chest become apparent again. She took a deep breath in and forced the feeling down.

“Good evening, Mr. Sato. I am the day shift nurse that will be taking care of you for the next half hour or so. If you need anything, the call light is right there. Do not hesitate to press it.”

Hiroshi squinted at the woman, trying to figure out where he'd seen her before. After a pregnant pause, his expression twisted into a dark, smug smile. “Ah, Kuvira Unidad. You look _different_ , brighter almost.” His voice sent shivers down Kuvira’s spine.

She forced a smile, not wanting to address his words. “Like I said, sir, press the call light when you need me.” She turned around to leave, but as she was about to open the door, Hiroshi spoke again.

“Tell me, Miss Unidad, how’s your family?”

Kuvira gritted her teeth but forced herself to answer. “Just fine, sir.” She lied and began walking out of the room.

Hiroshi was evilly chuckling to himself. “You’ll always be a lying bitch.”

Kuvira didn’t let the comment bother her, instead she went back into the break room and waited for Asami and Korra to come, not that she needed saving or anything.

Iroh was sitting at the table, wiping his belongings with sanitation wipes. “Was that Asami’s dad that just got admitted?”

Kuvira tried not to roll her eyes. She didn’t want to talk about Hiroshi. She didn’t even like talking to Iroh. Everyone seemed to adore him on the unit, but to Kuvira, he was just another bland pretty boy that got by with his chiseled jaw and sun-colored eyes. She sighed and answered anyway, “Mhm.”

“Do you think Asami would mind if I go introduce myself?”

_Why would you want to introduce yourself to that fuckface? He’s not special._ She thought but didn’t say. Instead, she shrugged, “Knock yourself out.”

~~~

When the two nurses arrived at the hospital, Asami didn’t wait for Korra to turn the car off. The heiress had sped through the parking lot and to the entrance. Korra tried to catch up, but Asami’s long, slender legs gave her an advantage.

Asami got to the unit and Kya, who was sitting at the nurses’ station, pointed to the direction of her father’s room, already knowing that she was going to be stopping by. Asami sped walk to the hallway and immediately heard her father’s voice…along with Iroh’s? She stood outside of the doorway, listening in to the conversation.

“You seem like a good man, Mister Iroh. I bet you can take care of my daughter for a lifetime!”

“A lifetime and more, sir.” The two men chuckled.

_What the fuck is going on?_

She forced herself into the room, trying to stop the conversation from transpiring into something more. “Dad!” Asami walked over to her father and sat on the chair next to the bed.

“Asami, dear, you’re finally here!” He smiled at her. “If I had to have a heart attack for you to come visit me, I’d have one more often.” The two men chuckled again.

Asami rolled her eyes at her father’s blatant hypocrisy. She had tried to get in contact with her father, had tried to spend time with him when she could, but Hiroshi was always a busy man, never returning any calls or sending any letters back. “That’s not funny, dad.” She deadpanned.

Hiroshi took this as a sign of worry and his face softened. “Don’t worry about me, sweetheart. I’m fine, right Iroh?” He faced the other nurse.

Iroh gave him an award-winning grin. “Right, sir! You’re just here to be monitored overnight and you should be able to go home and run that spectacular business of yours in no time- pending your lab results, of course.”

Asami couldn’t help the look of annoyance beginning to creep on her face. “I thought Kuvira was his nurse.” She blinked at the realization. _Oh, fuck! Kuvira…is taking care…of my dad. Fuckkkk!_ She tried very hard to not hit her forehead with the palm of her hand.

Her father sighed in irritation. “I would hardly call that woman a _nurse_. It took her almost thirty minutes to come see me. She even made the little _helps_ come get me from the ER instead of her. If anything, she’s a fucking coward.”

Asami glared at him. “Dad.” Her tone was grave and harsh. She didn’t know where this newfound confidence had come from.

To her surprise, Hiroshi wasn’t upset at the tone she had given him, or maybe he was just really good at creating a façade because Iroh was watching them. He turned his attention to the other man, “Anyway, this young man here has been helping me.”

Iroh gave Asami a smile. “Anything for a Sato.”

“ _Exactly_! This is the kind of man you should be dating, Asami! He takes care of his own, I can tell.” He gave Iroh a nod. “I am so glad my little girl has finally found someone _worthy_ of her attention.”

Asami felt _sick_ to her stomach. She wanted to be angry at Iroh for trying to win brownie points from her father, not that he even needed the points (there was no reward to win, not from Asami), but she couldn’t show it. Asami didn’t want to start any arguments with her father or with Iroh now, not after the heart attack Hiroshi had experienced. Stress was definitely not needed tonight, but she wanted to vomit at the thought of her father giving Iroh his blessings to date her- or worse, to _marry_ her. As handsome, attractive, and nice Iroh was, he wasn’t the person that made her heart feel so full and radiant.

As if on cue, the person who she was thinking of entered the room, hands on her knees and panting heavily. “You’re too damn fast, Sato.”

Both Hiroshi and Asami’s eyes perked up at the woman who had quickly moved her body so that she was standing up, back straightened, an awkward smile on her face. “H-hi, Mr. Sato! I-I was talking about the other Sato-“ She looked at Asami with those deep blue eyes and for a second, Asami felt her heart skip a beat. “-I was chasing after her and-“

“Who is _this_?” Hiroshi kept his intimidating eyes glued to Korra’s lips. Asami gulped, seeing the hint of red lipstick, which was undoubtedly from her own lips, smudged on Korra’s bottom lip.

“This is my…um, friend. Uh, she works on this unit too, dad.”

“For a nurse, her clothes are pretty casual. What kind of hospital is Tenzin running here? This is supposed to be the _best_ hospital in the world and all I’ve received is subpar care. I did not invest in this hospital for shitty service-“

“Oh, no, sir, I’m not working right now. I actually drove your daughter here to see you.” Korra gave him a lopsided grin, which was endearing to anyone else, but to Hiroshi, it wasn’t special.

Asami could see the bothered look forming on her father’s face _. Uh oh._

One thing Hiroshi Sato hated the most was being interrupted, especially by someone as insignificant as Korra. She was the speck of dirt on his shoe and he was a pronounced businessman, the richest man in all of Republic City! He was _the_ Hiroshi Sato. How dare someone interrupt him.

To stop the pot from stirring further, Asami stood up and decided to give her father a show. She wrapped an arm around Iroh and gave her father the sweetest smile she could force on her face. “Dad, it’s getting late and Iroh and I work tomorrow. I’m going to let you rest and we’re going to go home.” She felt Iroh circle a muscular arm around her waist and pull her closer. Asami tried not to stiffen at the contact.

The gesture had definitely satisfied her father, but she could feel the daggers Korra was staring into the back of her and Iroh’s heads. Hiroshi ceded his frown and smiled at the two of them, forgetting Korra was even there. “Okay, I will see you tomorrow?” He was more or less asking Iroh, but Asami nodded.

~~~

Korra rolled her eyes. The two looked like the _perfect_ couple. Had Asami lied to her about the two’s relationship? What did Korra have on Iroh anyway? He looked like a god, acted like one, too. He was flawless and confident and what was she? _Absolutely nothing._ She scoffed at her own answer.

She was walking out of the unit, trying to escape the revolting sight of domestic Iroh and Asami when she saw familiar dark brown hair. Korra caught up with Kuvira, “Hey.”

“Oh, hey.” Korra could hear the exhaustion in her voice.

“You didn’t give Asami any reports about Hiroshi.”

“I saw her talking to Iroh, looks like he had it covered.”

Korra rolled her eyes again at the name she had begun to hate the sound of. She looked up and noticed Kuvira’s rosy cheeks and reddened eyes. Had she been crying? Korra gently grabbed onto one of her friend’s arms to stop her. “Hey, are you okay?”

Kuvira met Korra’s eyes. “Yeah, rough day, I guess.” She sniffed, “Am I taking you home?”

“Oh, uh yes, please? I drove Asami’s car and I think she’s going home with _Iroh_ tonight, so...” She spat.

The two continued walking to the parking lot. “Oh shit, they’re together?” After a second, she looked at Korra with astonishment. “Wait, you drove Asami’s car?! Holy shit, that’s such an accomplishment, K.”

Korra sighed. “Apparently they are.” She couldn’t stop the pain in her chest from bothering her, but she forced herself to be okay with it. “I don’t know, man.” She paused and realized that no panic or any sort of anxiousness had overcome her body when she was behind the wheel. “I guess I was too worried about Asami to have any room for overthinking it.”

“Well, I’m proud of you.” Kuvira and her shared a smile.

After a while, Korra ran a hand through her hair. “Asami and I kissed…which is so fucked up if she really is dating Iroh.” Thinking about the moment she shared with Asami, she licked her lips. The taste of Asami lingered on her lips, but she tried to shake the feelings associated with it away.

“Looks like I’m not the only one with relationship problems.” They reached Kuvira’s car and the woman unlocked the doors.

Korra got in the passenger’s seat. “Trouble in paradise?”

“Dude, yeah. I don’t know what the fuck I did, but Opal won’t even look at me. She barely said a word to me the whole day and now she wants a _break._ ”

“Women.”

Kuvira turned the key in the ignition. “ _Women_.” She mimicked. “I need a fucking drink.”

Korra nodded in agreement and the two found themselves at the liquor store, grabbing three bottles of the strongest tequila they could find.

~~~

The two were now slumped on Kuvira’s expensive couch, drunk off of their ass and giggling at one another. Korra took another shot from the almost empty tequila bottle.

Kuvira drunkenly giggled, “Don’t you have work tomorrow, kid? Better watch yourself.”

“Don’t call me a kiiiiid, _kid_!” She pouted. “Tenzin gave me another day off.” She squinted at Kuvira. “Waaait, don’t you work tomorrow?”

“Oh, fuck that! I’m calling off. I’m not putting myself near Hiroshi _Fuck_ -toe ever again!”

Korra laughed hysterically and plopped her head on Kuvira’s lap. The other woman started to play with her hair, slowly moving up to her scalp and massaging it. “Oooh, so soft.” She heard Kuvira say in awe. Korra let her eyes close in pleasure, feeling every movement of Kuvira’s fingertips.

When she opened her eyes, Kuvira was staring at her. A look of heartache had shed the woman’s unbothered composure, causing Korra to look at her with sympathy. “What’s on your mind?”

“Opal. I don’t think she wants me anymore.” Her voice was low and quiet.

Korra knew the feeling Kuvira had all too well. Her feelings for Asami were a roaring fire, flames that have never, ever died but only grew stronger. Even with the six months spent apart, Korra’s heart had always ached for the older nurse. Korra was energized whenever the heiress was near, high from the scent of cherry flavored Chapstick and coconut shampoo. Asami’s flawlessness had always caused her to see the colors of the rainbow.

Now, the colors were dull. She didn’t feel empty, but the crushing knots in her stomach had replaced the fluttering butterflies Asami had given her. If Asami had really moved on to Iroh, which was a downgrade and everybody knew it, what could she do? All Korra wanted to see was Asami happy. If she had missed the opportunity to be the one that shared that feeling with her, she couldn’t be angry at Iroh. Asami had confessed her feelings for her all of those months ago and Korra had selfishly chosen _herself_. Now, Asami had Iroh who unquestionably would choose Asami over and over again. At least that’s what Korra would do, if given the chance again.

“Opal’s stupid,” Korra said without even thinking. “No offence to my roommate. I love her and all, but I don’t know why she’s so _mad_ at you.”

Kuvira took a hand out from Korra’s hair and scratched the side of her neck. “Man, you know what’s stupid? _Us_ …for falling for confusing ass women.”

Korra laughed again and Kuvira joined her. She wouldn’t have noticed this sober, but when Kuvira laughed, which was somewhat rare, her lips would curve up to her squinting eyes. Korra couldn’t help fawning over it. She noticed Kuvira’s pointed chin and sharp jawline, and the winged eyeliner that still looked untouched after the nurse’s apparent tough day at work. Her thick eyebrows were perfectly shaped, and she admired at how faultless they looked on Kuvira’s face. How hadn’t Korra noticed these features before?

Kuvira was also surveying the Inuit. Her eyes wandered to Korra’s cute, button nose. Her eyes counted the long lashes stuck on the hoods of blue irises. A strand of hair had fallen on Korra’s face and Kuvira brushed it away. The alcohol saturating her bloodstream was definitely making her feel dizzier than usual.

Suddenly, the door to her apartment opened, causing the two to jolt up.

“I know I said I needed a break, but- butI don’t! It’s just that you and Korra have this bond that I just don’t get. I-I don’t understand it and well, I may be kind of jea-“ Opal stopped herself once she saw her roommate sitting close to her girlfriend. “What were you two _doing_?” Her tone was accusatory as she noticed the bottles of alcohol surrounding the two women.

To Korra’s surprise, Kuvira looked annoyed, unlike the simp she was a couple of minutes ago. “What do _you_ care?”

Opal clenched her jaw tight and stared at the minimal space that was separating Korra from her girlfriend. Her face began turning red and her eyebrows scrunched together. “This is what I mean, Kuvira!”

The Unidad stood up, almost stumbling, but held onto the arm of the couch. “What the fuck are you taaaalking about? You ignore me aaaall day and you-you barge into my apartment acting like this!” She crossed her arms.

Korra didn’t know what to do, so she sat there frozen in place.

Opal got closer to her girlfriend. “You and Korra! I knew you still liked her!”

Korra blinked. _WHAT?!_ She tried standing up, but she was lightheaded from the alcohol, and fell to the floor on her ass. “Woaaah, Opal. You got the wrong idea, man-“

She glared at the Inuit. “I’m not talking to you, am I?” She almost _growled._

Kuvira turned her attention to Korra and put out a hand for her to take. She helped the younger nurse to her feet. “Are you really jealous of Korra right now?” She scoffed.

“Why wouldn’t I be? You sneak off to see her, you change your schedule just for her.”

“Are you serious? Korra’s my _best friend_ , Ope! Of course I’m gonna be there when she needs me!”

Korra watched her friends fight in awe. She was way too drunk to follow what was happening, but one thing she knew for sure was this was the first time she had seen Opal _angry._ And that anger was undoubtedly directed at her. She finally found her voice. “Nothing’s going on, Opal. If you want, I can leave. I-I don’t want you two to fight because of me.”

Korra grabbed her things and started for the door, but a hand pulled her back. “No, stay.”

Opal rolled her eyes. “Fine, then _I’ll_ leave.”

“When you finally figure out how _ridiculously childish_ you’re acting, you know where to find me, Opal.” Kuvira called out to the other woman who flipped her off as she left the apartment.

~~~

Kuvira laid uncomfortably in her bed. There was no question in her mind that she had fucked up the only relationship she was truly happy in. But Opal had acted _insane_ , right? Opal was in the wrong, right? Then why did it feel like everything was _her_ fault. She put a pillow on her face and let out a scream, hoping she didn’t wake Korra, who she had let sleep in the guestroom. Kuvira knew that Opal wouldn’t want to see her roommate, so she took it upon herself to ask Korra to stay for the night. After all, the Inuit was in no condition to be walking around, looking for a place to crash this late in the night.

Opal hadn’t even given her the opportunity to clearly explain her friendship with Korra. She waltzed in and accused her of having feelings for another woman. Opal had decided Kuvira still liked Korra and rolled with it, but she was sure she was over the Inuit.

Even so, Kuvira didn’t want to sleep alone tonight, not after the day she had. She craved for any form of physical contact, she craved for another body to share what she was feeling. In a beat, she found herself wandering the halls towards the guestroom, energized by the alcohol still coursing through her veins.


	14. A Carriage Driven By Two Horses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi folks, this one's a pretty lengthy chapter
> 
> i referenced plato's carriage allegory in this chapter (def read up on this if you want, it's hella interesting!) & isamu's character is based on shelly's on grey's anatomy S5, E3 (very sad)
> 
> i advise ya'll to look up the mori family's names, they are all very intentional 😇
> 
> anyways, siri, play heaven by pink sweat$
> 
> enjoy & lmk what you think! your comments make my day <3

Korra laid awake in bed, staring up at the white ceiling. A lot was going on in her head and she questioned her actions of the night. The last thing she wanted was for Opal to hate her, to be angry at her. She had decided to do whatever it took to get Opal to talk to her. Hopefully she could still repair their seemingly breaking friendship.

Another thing that was shattering was the organ in her chest. The alcohol had ceased the ripping feeling, but the effects were beginning to wear off. She found herself getting lost in obsidian hair, pale skin, and red lips. She was still in a partially drunken daze, feeling the weight of the night pinning her against the bed, but getting sleep was going to be difficult tonight.

Korra moved her head to the sound of the door creaking open. Without a word, the figure there had walked into the room and laid in the empty space next to her, mirroring Korra’s position.

“Can’t sleep?”

Kuvira shook her head, eyes not leaving the ceiling. “I need the company.” Korra could hear some form of hurt in her voice.

The two moved their bodies in unison so that they were staring at one another. Korra was lost in a sea of green eyes that were looking into her own oceans. It reminded her of Asami’s.

“What’s going on between us, Kuvira?” She couldn’t help but ask.

The two laid in a short silence. After a while, Kuvira asked, “What do you mean?”

Korra thought about the small moment they shared before Opal had barged into the apartment. She couldn’t stop the feeling that something could have happened between them if the Beifong hadn’t interrupted. A feeling of guilt entered her body. Kuvira was undeniably an attractive woman, but Korra couldn’t have brought herself to do _anything_ given the chance. Her heart had another keeper and even with the dizzying effect of the alcohol, she was aware of it. Still, Korra had to ask about her friend’s own feelings.

“There aren’t any residual feelings between us anymore, right? All of that is over?” Korra was hopeful. She didn’t want to cause any more pain between her friends.

To her relief, her friend nodded after a beat, “Yeah. I have Opal and I-I know I can’t mess this all up.”

“Then what’s stopping you from going after her right _now_?” Korra prodded.

Kuvira didn’t answer, trying to formulate a good enough response for her companion to understand her hesitancy. She moved her body so that she was looking up at the ceiling again and after a while, she explained, “I don’t know how to be in a relationship like this. Opal’s everything I want and _more_ , but it’s all so new to me. I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing.”

The Inuit sat up, “Kuv, I can’t give you all the answers, but if you love her, if you want to be with her, you _have_ to show it. Words don’t mean anything unless you back ‘em up with actions.” Kuvira was now sitting up too, quietly listening to her. Korra smiled, “You’re a Unidad! You always know what to do. And I’ve never seen you give up, so don’t do it now.”

Korra could see the wheels turning in her best friend’s beautiful mind. Kuvira gave her a knowing, determined look and in an instant, Korra knew she had to help Kuvira do whatever she had in mind.

~~~

Asami rested on the couch, sipping a cup of coffee. It was four in the morning and the sleepless hours of the night hadn’t been good to her. She rubbed her face and thought about calling off work, but her mind stopped her from reaching for the device sitting on the other side of the sofa. Asami needed to get her mind off of her father’s condition, of all of the confusing hot and cold thoughts that had occupied her headspace the entire night. Her mind seemed to be running a mile a minute and she couldn’t catch up.

After speaking with her father, Iroh had walked Asami to her car. The heiress had a number of condescending, confusing emotions coursing through her body. A part of her wanted to give in to her father’s desires, another part of her (the brave one) wanted to go against everything he wanted her to be.

She feared that Hiroshi had sensed her heart aching for the Inuit, she feared that her father could smell the lies she had told him. Asami was a fraud. The relationship she shared with the only family member she had left was without a doubt built on lies and deceit. Hiroshi continued to believe that his daughter was this straight, normal and successful girl, that Asami was still his _perfect golden_ child. If Asami wasn’t a hundred, then she was a zero and the daughter of a Sato had to be nothing but perfect.

Sure, Asami had given into her father’s desire by the fake act she had created with Iroh, but it wasn’t what she wanted. She was angry at herself for not being able to be open up to her parent, at her father’s lack of support and acceptance, at Iroh for unknowingly feeding into the imaginary life her father wanted her to have. So when the nurse finally had Iroh alone, she couldn’t stop the anger that had been raging in her throat from escaping.

“What the hell was that, Iroh? Who told you to go in there and kiss my dad’s ass?!”

The man looked at her in confusion. “I thought you’d be more appreciative of my actions, Asami.” He scoffed, “It’s not like Kuvira was helping him anyway.”

Asami balled her hands into fists at the mention of her friend. “You didn’t need to ‘ _help_ ’ him out. Nothing would have changed if you would’ve just left him alone.”

“He’s your father, Asami, I couldn’t just let him sit there getting ignored by his own nurse!” Iroh crossed his arms.

Asami let go of her stance. She knew the other nurse was just trying to be a good friend, to help her out. She sighed, “I’m sorry. You’re right. Thank you for being there for him when I wasn’t.” She looked off to the side. Even though her relationship with her father was rocky, she still felt some sort of guilt for not getting to the hospital sooner.

“You don’t have to apologize. I get it. A million things are going around your mind right now and every bit of emotion you’re feeling is valid.”

She let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “It’s just…been a crazy day.”

“You’re talking about Korra.”

“H-How did you-?”

Iroh put a hand on Asami’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I see the way you look at her. It’s like she’s the only person in the room, I can’t compete with that.” He gave her a small smile, “I want to help you. I noticed the way you tensed when Hiroshi was practically staring Korra down. He’s a smart man, I know you know that. He’ll put two and two together if you’re not careful.”

“I don’t know how else you could help me but thank you… and I’m sorry for being an asshole. I don’t want to play with your feelings, I just didn’t know how to stop him from stressing out some more. I can’t have him having another accident, Iroh. I-“ She sniffed, trying not to think about the possibility of losing another parent.

Iroh pulled her in close and Asami melted into the comfort of the strong arms around her. After a minute, Iroh pulled away with the goofiest smile on his face. “How about I be your fake boyfriend until Hiroshi leaves the unit!? Whatever the reason is, you don’t seem to want him finding out about you and Korra. So...let’s give him a show!”

“There’s nothing going on with me and Korra.” She knew she was lying. She let herself chuckle at her friend’s ridiculous idea, but the more she thought of it, the more she was convinced it would work.

When the heiress had finally gotten home, Korra was all she could see when she closed her eyes, but the nagging thoughts in the back of her head were telling her to stop the feelings she had. Her gut, on the other hand, was saying just the opposite.

Asami decided to get ready for work, texting her nurse manager that she was going to come in even though Tenzin had given her an extra day off.

Asami walked into her new patient’s room, the group of surgical interns and the main resident were already surrounding Mr. Mori. The nurse disliked how suffocating the room was with all of the bodies packed together like sardines.

One of the surgical interns spoke, “This is Isamu Mori, a 42-year-old with stage four colon cancer. Today, we’ll take Mr. Mori to the OR to remove the mets in his liver. In this stage of his cancer, this option could be curative.”

The patient smiled and determinedly said, “ _Will_ be curative.”

A teenage girl who was sitting on his bed nodded, “That’s right, pops!” All of the interns turned to look at her. “Oh, uh, my name is Sachi and this is my other dad.” She proudly pointed to a well-built man standing across the room. Asami watched in admiration as his muscles generously flexed when he crossed his arms together.

He cleared his throat. “What’s going to happen if you find more cancer than you expected?” Like seagulls finding a single scrap of food on the beach, the group simultaneously moved their heads towards Isamu’s husband.

Isamu shook his head, “Don’t answer that.” He pleadingly looked at the man, “That’s not going to happen, Keitaro.”

“Yeah, dad. We just have to be positive, right pops?” Their daughter looked at Isamu with hopeful eyes.

The team’s primary doctor, Dr. Paku, gestured for Asami to stand next to him. She maneuvered through the group. “This is Miss Asami, she’ll be your nurse today. She’ll monitor your labs and take you to the OR as soon as everything is stable and clear.”

Asami gave the family a welcoming smile.

When the team had finally disbursed and Keitaro and Sachi had gone down to the cafeteria for breakfast, Isamu watched Asami intently while she charted on the computer in his room.

“Spill.”

The nurse looked up from her screen in confusion, raising an eyebrow.

Isamu chuckled, “My daughter and husband have been talking about this surgery for weeks, I need a break, so spill! Talk about anything, tell me _everything_.”

Asami thought for a moment. She figured the man needed some form of entertainment before his big surgery, so she asked, “Do you want to know about my love life or my father’s health condition?”

“Your love life, _duh_!” The man sat up in his bed, ready to hear all about the mess Asami was drowning in.

~~~

As soon as the sun rose that morning, Korra and Kuvira headed to the hospital. Kuvira had hashed out a plan, something that involved the Air Temple and a lot of lights. First, Korra had to ask Kya for permission to borrow the Air Temple’s garden for the night. Then, the two would head back to the city to gather the supplies needed to perfectly execute Kuvira’s plan to win Opal back again.

Korra was now sneakily walking up to 6 South, hoping Opal wasn’t on the floor to see her. To her relief, the younger Beifong wasn’t sitting in any of the nurses’ stations. Korra quickly creeped into Kya’s office.

“Kya, I need to talk to y-“ Korra stopped herself at the sight of another body sitting on Kya’s desk as the older Inuit was leaning closely onto them. Korra turned around and closed her eyes, “Uh-uh, if I’m interrupting something, I-I could come back!”

She could hear some scrambling from behind her, then Kya’s laughter booming through the office. Lin, who had put on her blazer, shoved past Korra. Before she left the room, she gave the younger Inuit a side-glance followed by a grunt of annoyance.

Kya took the spot Lin had been comfortably sitting on. “Can I help you, Korra?” She asked as if everything was normal and Korra hadn’t just walked in on her two bosses.

The nurse turned around, still stunned at the moment she had witnessed. “I just, I had a favor to ask you. Well, I mean, it’s for Kuvira. Can we borrow the Air Temple garden tonight?”

Kya thought for a moment, putting a hand under her chin. “Aaand what must you possibly need to do in my beautiful garden?”

“I-it’s for-” Korra tried to think of what to say and before she knew what was coming out of her mouth, she blurted, “love!”

The charge nurse squinted at Korra. “Hm, okay.” She stood up from the desk, “I’ll let Tenzin know you kids are going to be there, so he can close off that part of the island. Just don’t be doing the hanky panky on top of my rose bushes!”

Korra gave her an excited smile, “Thank you, Kya!” _Step one, done._

Before Korra could leave the office, Kya held onto her shoulder, “Everything okay with you, kid?” A hint of concern was behind the question.

The younger nurse smiled again, “Yeah, of course, Miss Kya.” She didn’t want to lie to her charge nurse, but she was in a hurry and there was no time to talk about her problems now.

Korra sped walk out of the unit. She contemplated on whether to use the elevators or walk the six floors down to the lobby. She had jogged up the stairs to get to the unit, trying to avoid the elevators. Now though, Kuvira was waiting for her and they needed to make this plan happen ASAP. Korra swallowed down her fears and walked to the direction of the hospital elevators. 

On the ride to the lobby, she began to get lost in her thoughts. Korra wanted to talk to the heiress, to clear up what the kiss meant or didn’t mean. She wanted to follow the same advice she had given Kuvira; to light the spark she knew was present between her and Asami. But was it the right time? Asami already had a lot to worry about and Korra didn’t want their relationship to be another problem added onto her laundry list of concerns. On the other hand, Korra wanted to be there for Asami, but it seemed like the heiress didn’t want to be anywhere near her.

The ding of the elevator brought her back to the present. Without looking at what floor it had stopped on, Korra walked through the doors and wandered around in search for the exit.

~~~

“So, you like her…but you don’t know if you want to be with her?” Isamu asked.

Asami was transporting her patient to the operating room, pushing the bed down the hallway. “Mhm.”

Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, she saw familiar chocolate brown hair. Korra seemed to be in her own world, strolling out of the hallway that housed the elevators. As the Inuit lifted her head up, their eyes met for a brief moment. She smiled up at Asami, giving her a quick wave. After finally realizing her surroundings, Korra looked around and embarrassingly turned back towards where she came from. The heiress didn’t even have time to react.

“That’s her, isn’t it?”

Asami forgot she was wheeling the man. She could feel the blush rising to her cheeks; her patient instantly knew that was the woman who she had been talking about nonstop the entire day.

Isamu smirked, “You didn’t tell me she was _that_ gorgeous! If I wasn’t happily married, had a kid, and wasn’t a man, I’d go for her no questions asked. Blue Eyes is definitely a catch!”

Asami kept silent, wondering why the younger nurse was at the hospital. It didn’t seem as if Korra was looking for her, not that she was hoping the woman was. She wasn’t in her scrubs, so she definitely wasn’t picking up an extra shift. Who was she there to see? A family member? Was she going through something, too? She shrugged the thoughts away, not wanting to overthink another thing.

After dropping Isamu off to the OR, Asami went back up to the unit, checked on her patients, and decided to have her lunch break. Isamu was the only patient she had who was having any major procedures done today and the rest were thankfully easy to manage. She walked to the café, hoping to beat the lunch hour rush.

There, she found Opal eating alone. This was an unusual sight; her friend was always either with Kuvira or Mako and Bolin. Asami decided to join her, taking the empty seat at the table she sat at.

“Bad day?” Asami noticed the glower that was pasted on the younger nurse’s face, as if it had been there the entire day.

Opal didn’t look up from her salad, “Just thinking.”

“About?”

To Asami’s surprise, Opal threw the fork she was holding onto the plate. It was quite aggressive, a behavior she hadn’t seen her friend ever show.

“Kuvira and Korra.” Asami could hear the bitterness in her voice as Opal mentioned their names.

She began to feel her heart sinking at the sound of the combination. _Kuvira and Korra…Kuvira, Korra…Kuvira…_ She couldn’t stop her mind from traveling to the old days where Kuvira was her enemy, where she was still fighting for the Inuit.

Opal’s voice cut through her thoughts. “I walked in on them last night.” Asami’s lips turned into a straight line, a mixture of jealousy and anger began hitting her at once. Opal noticed this and quickly explained, “I mean, like…” She sighed. “They weren’t doing anything, at least I don’t think they were. They got drunk and I-“ A look of sudden realization replaced the younger nurse’s frown “-I barged in and basically _accused_ Kuvira of still having feelings for Korra.”

“You think she does?” Asami couldn’t help but ask. She was curious, too. Korra hadn’t spoken to her for months, what if the two still shared some leftover feelings? What if Opal’s gut feeling was right? What if-

“No…Well, I don’t know. I didn’t give Kuvira a chance to explain. I just assumed and..” She huffed, “She didn’t do anything to prove otherwise! I just, I wanted her to do _something_ to show me that she’d finally choose me, that _I’m_ her first choice this time.”

Asami searched her friend’s eyes and found a mixture of frustration, desire, and hope reflected in her green irises, feelings she herself was accustomed to having. Instantly, she understood. “Kuv can’t read your mind, Ope, but at the same time, Kuvira’s smart enough to put two things together.” She gave her friend’s balled-up fist a squeeze, “You need the reassurance, but she needs you to tell her how you feel.”

Opal sighed, “I know…It’s just _hard_. “She rubbed her forehead with one hand, “Why are relationships so damn difficult?”

“Great relationships aren’t great because they’re easy. They’re great because both people involved care enough about one another to find some way to make it work.”

Opal gave her a weak smile, “Alright, when did you become so wise?”

Asami chuckled, “I don’t know...Maybe I should take my own advice.”

“Yeah, you better tell Korra to back off my girl.”

The heiress rolled her eyes, “You’re a dork. And I don’t have the right to do that.”

“Mmm, yeah, you do. Korra’s practically been head over heels for you the moment you two met. Everyone knows it but you, _dork_.”

Asami could feel herself turning beet red again. She mentally slapped herself for being so easily flushed. “I don’t want her to think I’m that easy to get. She just came back into my life and it’s as if nothing ever happened and we’re back chasing after each other.” She sighed, “I don’t want that. What if she leaves again…” The thought made her stomach twist into knots. Was that what she was afraid of?

Opal shrugged, “I say follow your heart.” She giggled at her own cheesiness.

Asami tried listening to her heart. At the thought of Korra, it had quickened in pace, skipping beat after beat, making her feel like melted ice cream on a sunny day. Her mind, though, was telling her heart to slow down, criticizing it’s unhinged rhythm and lack of restraints.

Uncle Iroh had once shared with her a story about the privilege of choice. He believed that every person commanded a carriage driven by two horses- one was white, the horse of reason, the other was black, the horse of passion. He said that every person traveled this way through the paths of birth and death. The reigns gave a person control over the horses, how they hold the reigns determine the individual’s fate in the end.

If the person gave control over to the black horse of passion, it would be allured by the beautiful rose bushes on the side of the path and would steer the carriage in that direction, unquestionably trampling right through the roses and destroying them.

If control was given to the white horse of reason, the animal would keep the person on the narrow path, quickly passing by all of the beauty that existed on each side of the road, ultimately leaving the person to experience a safer and less uneventful life that lacked value and substance.

Unfortunately, Asami hadn’t been fully listening to Uncle Iroh’s tales. She tried to remember what the older man had suggested for the person to do, listen to passion or listen to reason, but she couldn’t make out the ending of this story.

~~~

The second half of the day was unexciting to Asami. Isamu wasn’t back from surgery yet, his family was waiting in the lobby, and her other patients were all stable (not that she was complaining). She decided to walk down to 6 South and see how her father was doing.

There, she found Iroh in her father’s room, chatting away like the night before. She rolled her eyes at how invested her father was whenever the nurse was speaking. The two noticed Asami standing in the doorway and Hiroshi motioned for her to come in.

“I was just telling Mr. Sato that he needed to stay another day or two. His labs came back, and we still need to monitor his platelets and clotting factors.”

Asami was surprised to see a satisfied and pleased expression on her father’s face. She would have guessed her father would be upset by the news, knowing how much of a workaholic he was.

“Iroh, you know you can call me Hiroshi, right?” He turned to his daughter, “Your _boyfriend_ is such an amazing nurse, sweetheart. He has given me the _best_ service I’ve ever had! I’m not even upset with having to stay here another night.”

Asami instinctively scrunched her nose at the sound of the word "boyfriend” and gave Iroh a quizzical look. The other nurse gave her a look as if to say _Play along!_ and she suddenly remembered the plan they had come up with the night before. She quickly gave Hiroshi a smile, “Oh yeah, dad. I’m glad he’s your nurse today.”

“Will you tell Kya I want him to be my nurse tomorrow, too? If she says no, go to Tenzin.”

Asami nodded in response. “So everything’s okay with you, dad?”

“More than okay!” He chuckled.

“Okay, I just came down here to check on you. I’m really really happy that you’re pleased with Iroh’s care.” She moved towards the nurse and wrapped an arm around his waist, her other hand resting on his chest.

_Perfect couple activated._

Hiroshi gave the two an approving grin. He looked at his daughter with so much pride and though Asami should have been overjoyed at her father’s positive perception of her, she felt disappointed in the added lies she kept stacking over their relationship.

Back on the oncology unit, Isamu was back in his room. Asami walked in, hoping to be met with positive news, but instead walked into a heavy downpour.

“We found that the tumor was more extensive than we initially saw on the scans. I’m sorry Mr. Mori, but we couldn’t do more.” Dr. Paku had a look of sympathy on his face, one that she had never seen plastered on the serious man.

Keitaro stood up from the chair he was sitting on. “W-We’ll start another round of chemo.” He looked at his husband, “You’ll get better.” The hopefulness in his voice made Asami’s heart clench.

“Keitaro, one of our options include comfort care. Yes, we can do another round of chemo, but there’s a high chance it won’t make a difference.” Dr. Paku turned to Isamu, “We’ll let the two of you think about that some more.” The team left the room, but the thickness of the air resumed.

Keitaro angrily glared at the retreating figures walking out of the room. He faced Asami with the same anger in his eyes. “What?! Comfort care?” He began to raise his voice, “No! Miracles can happen, right?! He’ll-he’ll get better! We just, we have to be more positive-“ The man was pleading for Asami to agree, to say he was right, but she found herself stunned to silence.

“No, Keitaro.” Both of them turned to Isamu’s voice. “I’m done fighting. It's time."

"What? Time to _give up_!?" His husband shook his head and stomped out of the room.

Asami and Isamu stared at each other in a sea of quiet. The nurse saw the sadness in his sun-colored eyes, but it never looked despondent. He turned his head to the window and wiped the tears that were now forcing themselves to fall.

After a minute, Isamu weakly smiled at her. “So are you going to give Blue Eyes a chance?”

Asami sat on the chair at the bedside and held onto her patient’s hands. “I’m so sorry, Isamu.”

The patient ignored her worry. “Come on, Asami, you have to make a choice. I’m making this decision even though I know Keitaro and Sachi won’t agree to it. It’s hard, but-but I know it’s right.”

“How…can you be so sure?” Asami couldn’t help but ask.

“Keitaro believes in _miracles_.” He smiled, “We’ve already had so many incredible miracles happen to us. We found a-a priest from the Fire Nation to marry us and the spirits know how hard that was to do. We-we adopted and raised a beautiful daughter. We came from broken homes yet we built this family.” He met Asami’s eyes, “Miracles don’t happen unless you _try_ and make them happen. I…can’t force my body to keep fighting something that I know for a fact won’t get better. I _have_ to make this choice no matter how hard it is for them.” Isamu let out a shaky breath, “They can’t keep wasting their time and energy hoping for miracles. That’s...not fair for my family.”

~~~

Korra and Kuvira arrived at the Air Temple late in the afternoon. The two had been out in the city, finding supplies to make Kuvira’s plan work. Little did they know it would take the whole day to find the perfect lights, and in the end, the only ones they could find were battery powered.

The best friends were now carrying bags of their store-bought goodies down a small rock path that led to the garden. When the two reached their destination, they stared in awe at the palatial green ahead them.

The large garden was located on the east side of the island, surrounded by tall evergreen trees. There were different types of bright-colored flowers scattered around the vast green space. In the middle was a large pond home to an antique gazebo. A small wooden bridge connected the gazebo to the land.

Kuvira smiled, “Yup, this is the perfect spot!”

Korra nodded in agreement and they began bringing their plan to life.

After a couple of hours of decorating, the two were finally done. It was almost seven, a little less than an hour until Opal’s shift would end.

Korra watched over their creation and then moved her attention to her friend, who was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the newly embellished gazebo. She noticed the way her leg was shaking nervously and the way Kuvira was worriedly tugging on her bottom lip.

“Don’t worry, she’s going to love it, Kuv’.”

“What if she doesn’t? What if she hates it all and doesn’t want to be with me anymore? What if this was all for _nothing_?”

Korra walked over to her friend and took a seat next to her. “Would you stop that? Take all of this energy that you’re feeling and use it to make her see just how much _you_ want her.” She patted her friend on the back and let her hand stay there for a second, “Show her how you feel. If it doesn’t go right in the end, then it’s her loss.”

Kuvira took a cleansing breath in and let it out, “You’re right.” She beamed at her friend, “What would I do without you?!” She ruffled Korra’s hair and the Inuit let her.

“Probably be a crying mess.” The two laughed.

After a while, Korra stood up, “I’ll get Opal here, you just stay right here and be ready for her.”

Kuvira gave her two thumbs up and attempted to dust off her clothes as she got herself up. She had on a pair of black, grid plaid slacks and a white crop-top long sleeve. 

~~~

Opal retrieved her belongings from her locker. The day had been quite long for the young Beifong. Asami’s advice echoed through her mind the entire day. A part of her wanted to wait for the miracle of love to happen, but another part wanted to go to Kuvira’s apartment and apologize for her outburst.

She looked through her messages and sighed in disappointment at the lack of calls and texts she received from Kuvira. Opal had hoped her girlfriend would get the hint and come talk to her, but knowing Kuvira, she was probably isolating herself from the world until she found some reason to make things right. Opal had to be patient, she wanted Kuvira to come to her for once, so she decided to keep their line of communication as is- silent.

Opal walked to her car and felt a buzz from her phone.

_Oh, that was fast. I guess I didn’t have to wait too long._

She grabbed her phone and put the device to her ear, not even bothering to check who it was. “Hey, I’m glad you called-“

“ **_Opal? I’m so happy you answered. I know I’m one of the last people you want to hear from right now, but I-I need your help.”_ **

“Fuck, sorry. I thought you were…never mind. Um, what’s up, Korr?”

She could hear her roommate’s tone of worry from the other line, almost feeling forced. **_“It’s Naga- I brought her to the Air Temple so that the kids could play with her, but she ran away and I can’t find her! I’ve looked everywhere, Ope.”_ **

“Oh, are you still on the island? Where are you looking?”

**_“The temple’s garden. Meet me up the rocky path by the pond.”_ ** Instantly, Korra hung up.

_Wow, that was oddly specific_.

Opal sat in her car, confused. One thing she did know, though, was that her roommate was right. Korra was definitely the last person she wanted to see, but she would feel too guilty if she let Naga run loose. She told herself that she was doing this for Naga and that was all.

So with that logic, she put the key in the ignition and drove towards the Air Temple.

~~~

“You paged me, sir?” Asami ran into Isamu’s room worriedly. 

Isamu laughed aloud at his nurse’s scrambling. “Yeah, because, well...I’m dying.” There was humor in his voice. It seemed forced, but only to a perceptive person and Asami was just that. “And I can’t die without knowing what you’ve decided.”

Asami let out a soft sigh and sat on the bed. 

“You look...very _serious_ .” Isamu thought for a moment, “Wait, are you _not_ going to go for her?”

The nurse looked at him, trying not to show any form of sympathy. She kept her face stoic just as she always did, but her chest twinged for Isamu. She knew he was trying to avoid his prognosis, trying to be stronger and more positive than he actually was. It was all for show and she knew that feeling all too well. Asami wanted to tell him it was okay to cry, to feel the weight of his situation, but it wasn’t her place to. 

At her detached expression, Isamu spoke again. “No fair! I’m-I’m _dying-_ ” his voice began to crack “-and you’re going to-to throw all of that hotness in the wind?” Tears began running down his cheeks, “No fair...no...fair.”

Asami stood up and wrapped him in her arms. 

~~~

Opal jogged up the steps to the air temple. She ran to where the garden was and searched for her friend. When she reached the path full of white rocks and pebbles, she noticed the tea-lights carefully placed along the sides of the path. She halted for a moment and tried calling Korra but received no response. 

_Okay, weird._

After a moment of trying to reach her roommate, she continued up the path, calling out for Naga. 

The bright gazebo caught the young Beifong’s attention. It was illuminated by string lights attached to the roof going down the sides of the gazebo. Opal observed the figure standing in the middle of the platform and she instantly knew who it was. Kuvira had her back towards her. She walked across the wooden bridge, appreciating the rose petals scattered all around. Carefully and slowly taking one step after the other, Opal was afraid that if she made any sort of noise that the woman in front of her would run away. 

Suddenly, Kuvira turned around, a warm grin on her beautiful face. “Hey.” Even in the low-key lighting, the younger nurse could see the tint of pink on her girlfriend’s face. 

Opal was too stunned to speak. She stood under the gazebo, under all of the shining lights and melted into the pleasant atmosphere. It felt warm and inviting, and Kuvira was looking at her with the most adoring eyes. 

“We...have a lot to talk about.” The older woman walked over to her and held out a hand for her to take. “First, I want to apologize for being so distant. I can be so stupid sometimes and-”

Opal didn’t let her finish. In one motion, the Beifong was up against Kuvira, their lips meeting together softly. After what felt like a lifetime, their lips finally separated. Kuvira kept her close for a little while longer. 

A while later, Kuvira motioned for Opal to sit on the laid out blanket and pillows that were in the corner of the platform. There, Kuvira handed Opal a glass and filled it up with wine. She opened the picnic basket and set out platters of her girlfriend’s favorite foods in front of them. As if on cue, a group of fireflies dispersed around the pond, making the night sky fill with what looked like miniature stars. 

~~~

Asami trudged up the stairs to her condo. The day had been rough for her and after sitting in the conference room with the Moris discussing Isamu’s final decision, she wanted to lay in bed forever. Her patient was right, Keitaro and Sachi hadn’t taken his choice well, but after allowing the family to talk it over, they all finally agreed to Isamu’s wish. 

With the tears she had been holding in finally tugging at her bottom eyelids, Asami quickly walked down the hallway to her door, trying to reach her home before they fell. 

To her surprise, Korra was standing there. At the sight of the Inuit, Asami began to cry. She didn’t know why or for what reason, but the tears rolled down her cheeks without any control. Asami didn’t know what prompted her actions, but she felt her legs run towards the other body. In a beat, she was holding onto Korra, quietly sobbing into her neck. 

Asami wanted to let go of the reigns completely and finally put her trust in her own self, no restraints.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have exams and...life coming up in the next couple of weeks so updates might be less frequent


	15. Valentine's Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi folks! 
> 
> this isn't a chapter at all, rather just something i drew for the next one. i would even call it a small sneak peak :)
> 
> anyways, happy valentine'a day!  
> i hope ya'll got to spend some time with your forever girls/boys 🥰

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by this clexa drawing i saw, can't remember the artist, but it was drawn in 2016.


	16. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> exams week SUCKS ):
> 
> hope ya'll enjoy this chapter. let me know how you feel afterwards!
> 
> (big shoutout to @Volchise who came up with the scenario at the beginning of the chapter)

Korra turned her head towards the sound of footsteps coming down the hall and to her surprise, she saw Asami rushing towards her. As the other woman grew closer, Korra’s heart began to thrash faster against her chest. With a blink of an eye, Asami’s arms were thrown over her.

The younger nurse stumbled from the impact, her arms firmly sealed to her sides as Asami circled her own around her. She could feel the heiress sobbing against her neck and all she wanted to do was hold her tight. After a beat, Asami finally let her go, dropping her arms to her sides.

“I’m sorry.” Asami’s voice was quiet, her eyes unable to meet Korra’s.

“What’s going on, ‘Sami?” When the older nurse hesitated to answer, Korra lifted Asami’s chin so their eyes were leveled. “Asami, please, please just talk to me.”

“I can’t lose anyone else, Korra. I-” A tear slowly rolled down her cheek “-I keep pushing you away because I’m so scared you’ll leave, but-but I never gave you the chance to even  _ stay _ . I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I pushed you away, too. Remember?”

“No, it’s not. I’m not  _ perfect,  _ I have all of this shit going on in my life and when it gets hard, I close myself off. But I can’t do that, not this time. Life is way too short to be indecisive.” She sighed. “I have to trust my gut.”

Korra didn’t know where Asami was going with this sudden conversation. “So, uh, what does that mean..?”

“So, I’m saying, I want to give us a  _ chance _ . I want to try and make this happen. It’s time for me to be happy and with you, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.” She let out a small chuckle, as if this was the first time she’d admitted that to herself.

Korra couldn’t believe the words coming out of Asami’s mouth. She wondered for a second if she was dreaming or even hallucinating, but as Asami’s hands found their way to hers, she knew this moment was real. 

“I won’t let you down, ‘Sami.” 

“Can we, can we take things slow for a while?”

Marveling at the heavenly woman before her, Korra wondered how she could ever say no.

  
  


Korra stood over the counter, noticing every bit of new furniture added to Asami’s home. The couch they had slept on was different than she had remembered. It was eccentric and she wouldn’t have pictured the heiress picking it out, but Korra had to admit that it looked perfect against the newly painted walls. 

“I love what you’ve done with the place.” She tried to make conversation. After their shared moment in the hallway, the two came inside and were now sitting in silence. Asami sat on the arm of the couch, intently staring at the floor, lost in thought.

Korra was met with more silence and she wondered what was going on in the heiress’s head. She went over their conversation- had she not reacted the right way? Maybe Asami was overthinking their relationship already? She thought harder..

_ I can’t lose anyone else. _

The Inuit knew that the nurse’s father was still breathing on their unit, so that wasn’t who she was referring to. Had she lost a patient? Maybe.

Korra pondered for a second if Asami was scared of losing  _ her.  _ She looked over at the couch again and instantly remembered the silent promise she had made all of those months ago. A wave of guilt crashed on her as Korra realized that she had caused that same emptiness she was trying to guard Asami from. It was time to keep that promise and show the other woman what she meant to Korra. 

With a sudden rush coursing through her veins, Korra walked up to Asami, stopping in between her long legs. “What’s going on in that brilliant mind of yours?”

“Sorry, I was just thinking,” Asami said.

Korra smiled and gave her an understanding nod. “I know, it’s okay.” She stared at Asami for a moment, and she wondered how she was able to go through six months without being with the gorgeous woman. “I like you a whole lot, you know that?”

Asami gave her a small smile. “Really?”

“Yup! Wanna know how much?”

Asami giggled at the crooked grin beginning to form on Korra’s face. The younger nurse grasped the stethoscope that was still around the other’s neck. 

“Those six months without you was harder for me than I let on.” She chuckled, “I always wondered why I didn’t just let myself completely fall for you, but now I know why. I wasn’t  _ ready _ , but now I am. I committed all of that time apart to better myself, not just for me, but...for  _ you _ .” 

She gently put the earpieces in Asami’s ears. 

“You really want to know how much you mean to me?” 

Asami nodded. 

“Then kiss me.”

Asami didn’t hesitate. She grabbed Korra’s face with both hands and pulled her into a searing kiss. The moment their lips met, electricity began jolting her heart into an unsteady rhythm, one that she was beginning to be comfortable with. The Inuit’s lips felt like butter and tasted like honey and Asami couldn’t get enough.

When they finally pulled away, Korra handed the diaphragm of the stethoscope to Asami, guiding the heiress’s hand under her shirt, to the left where the apex of her heart was. 

“What’re you-”

“Shh, just listen.” 

Asami shut her mouth and concentrated on the thrilling beat she was hearing, Korra’s hand still keeping her own steady while she held the diaphragm in place. She gulped at the realization that the vitalizing sound wasn’t her own excited heart, but was Korra’s. It was as if the two were in sync, as if that simple kiss had fed the growing fires burning in their chests. She looked up at Korra, who was staring at her with so much  _ passion _ and in that moment, Asami  _ understood _ . 

The heiress swifty removed the earpieces and threw the stethoscope on the couch. She stood up, Korra’s legs still in between hers, and forced their lips together again. Asami held onto the side of Korra’s face while she let her other hand reach for Korra’s.

The Inuit intertwined her fingers together with Asami’s. Korra accepted the kiss wholeheartedly, slightly parting her lips to allow Asami access. She felt the small strokes of Asami’s tongue on her bottom lip and Korra craved for more.

With electricity circulating through her body, Korra gently pushed Asami over the arm of the couch. She held onto the heiress’s back with one hand and used the other to hold herself up on the cushion. To her surprise, Asami didn’t stop her. As though Asami wanted her to keep going, Korra lowered herself closer so that their bodies were pressed together. 

Hands exploring soft skin, lips never breaking apart, the feeling of fire soaring from her chest to her core, Asami suddenly felt overwhelmed. Before she knew what she was doing, her hands pushed up on Korra’s shoulders, causing the woman to move backwards. 

Taken aback by Asami’s push, the younger nurse moved further away from her. Now, Korra was staring down at her with  _ concern _ . Not hurt, not pain, like Asami had initially thought would be her reaction. 

“Did I do anything wrong-”

“No, no!” Asami lifted herself up with her elbows. “I just-” She didn’t want Korra to stop. If anything, kissing Korra was  _ intoxicating _ , but the rush was all too much “-I want to take things slow.”

Korra nodded understandingly. “Sorry, I just got too carried away.” She rubbed the back of her neck and gave her a cheeky smile, “If you feel like I’m doing too much, you can let me know, okay?” She didn’t want to mess this opportunity up, she wanted this newfound relationship with Asami to be  _ perfect. _

Asami gave her a smile back and laid herself on the couch. Korra followed suit, laying on the older nurse with her head placed on Asami’s chest. The thrilling beat of her heart hadn’t been suppressed. 

They stayed like this for a couple of minutes before Asami started to stir from under her. Asami pulled out the stethoscope she was laying on and placed it on the arm of the couch. 

“Y’know, what you did earlier was pretty smooth.”

“Yeah?” Korra chuckled. 

“Yeah.” Asami smiled at the sound of the Inuit’s soft laugh. 

Korra wrapped an arm around her waist, snuggling closer. She began playing with Korra’s hair, delicately rubbing her fingers on the woman’s scalp. 

After a few minutes of silence, Asami said, “I like you, too.” 

She was met with faint snores and quiet breathing. 

~~~

The next morning, Asami was the first to wake. Feeling the warmth of the body on top of hers, she realized she never felt this comfortable sleeping on a couch. It would take her a while to get used to waking up next to another body, but she was already growing to appreciate this feeling. Korra was peacefully and softly snoring into the crook of her neck and Asami wanted this moment to last forever. 

The curtains of the glass balcony door were slightly ajar, allowing some rays of sun to escape and hit their faces. Korra looked almost angelic, with her brown skin glowing under the light. Asami observed just how long Korra’s eyelashes were, how silky her face was. Before she knew it, she was reaching to rub Korra’s cheek and-

_ Bzz bzzz bzzz!! _

Both women jumped to the sound of Asami’s phone ringing on the arm of the couch above them. Korra sleepily rubbed her eyes, sitting herself up, and Asami couldn’t help but gape at how adorable the other looked. She reached for the phone and answered the call, not bothering to look at the caller ID. 

“Hello?”

**_“Asami! I hope I didn’t wake you and Iroh-”_ ** Asami’s eyes widened and she hoped Korra didn’t hear that sentence. Luckily, the Inuit was slowly getting up and wandering to the open kitchen.  **_“-I just wanted to let you know that I’m finally out of the hospital!”_ **

“That’s great, dad. When’s your flight to Japan?”

**_“Asami, dear, do you want me to leave that quickly?”_ ** Her father asked jokingly. 

She stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “No, of course not.” She lied. 

**_“I don’t know why Iroh didn’t tell you, but I’m staying in Republic City indefinitely.”_ **

Asami blinked, astonished by her father’s eagerness. She was relieved that her father had been discharged, but him staying in the same city where  _ Korra _ was, made her feel nervous. And now that her father thinks she was going out with Iroh, she had to find a way to explain all of this to Korra before it blew up in her face. 

As if her father was reading her mind, he said,  **_“I asked Iroh the other day if you two would come over to dinner at the estate some time this week, but he told me to ask you. So, how about it, sweetheart?”_ **

“Oh, um-” Her father was being overly too sweet, but she didn’t have time to question it right now. “-Yeah, sure.”

**_“Great! I’ll have the cooks prepare something delicious!”_ **

Asami thought for a moment. “Wait, dad! How about I invite my friends, too? You can meet the rest of the nurses who helped you at the hospital. Uh, kind of like a thank you dinner?” In the moment, she thought this would be a better idea than being alone with Iroh. 

The silence she was met with was definitely her dad thinking about it.  **_“That sounds good. I’ll call you with the details tonight. I’ll talk to you soon, sweetheart, bye!”_ ** Her father hung up and she let go of the breath she’d been holding.

_ Pang! _

She turned her head over to the noise and saw Korra clumsily trying to pick up the pan she dropped. The younger nurse mouthed “I’m sorry” and gave her a shy smile. 

Asami mentally slapped herself for suggesting the idea to her dad. Now, she had to fake being in a relationship with Iroh in front of her friends, in front of the woman she had just begun having a relationship with. She decided that this was the time to explain the situation to Korra.

She placed the phone in her back pocket and walked up to Korra, who had her head in the refrigerator. 

“‘Sami, we need to get you some more groceries.”

“Can we talk about something?”

The Inuit closed the refrigerator door and turned to meet Asami’s gaze. “Of course, anything.”

“So, Iroh and I-”

Suddenly, there was ringing coming from her pocket. Asami silenced it without taking her gaze off of Korra.

“Sorry,” Asami said. Korra gave her a soft smile, as if to say she understood. She began again, “Iroh-”

The ringing started again and with a frustrated sigh, Asami took her phone out and answered it. She looked at Korra apologetically and the Inuit simply nodded for her to take the call. 

**_“Good morning, Miss Asami, did you forget you were scheduled to work an eight hour shift today?”_ **

She groaned into the phone, unable to hide her annoyance. “I thought I called off?”

**_“I can schedule you another day, but Mister Isamu Mori was looking for you this morning.”_ **

Asami’s mind drifted to Isamu’s prognosis the other night and how important it was for the man to have some form of support system right now. She looked up at Korra, who had been watching her, a goofy smile on her face. All she wanted to do was to spend the day immersed in her new relationship, but Asami wasn’t the type to leave a patient feeling alone. 

“I can come in. Give me an hour.” 

After the older nurse’s conversation with her manager, Korra let out the laugh she had been holding throughout the entire conversation. 

Asami stared at her questioningly, confused about the outburst. 

“You look so-” Korra giggled “-cute when you’re mad like that!” She went up to Asami and wrapped her in a tight embrace. “You’re so cute, ‘Sami.”

The woman couldn’t stop the heat from reaching her face. “I-I have to go into work today.”

Korra peppered small kisses on Asami’s neck. “Do you-”  _ Kiss  _ “-really-”  _ Kiss _ “-have to?”  _ Kiss _ .

Forgetting about what she had to tell Korra, Asami melted into the affection the other was showing her. “Yeah, one of my patients needs me. I’m working an eight, though.”

Korra moved her face from the neck she was becoming familiar with. “I have to get going anyway.” She walked over to her shoes and grabbed them. “How about we have dinner tonight?”

~~~

“Wow, you look brighter,” Isamu said. He watched Asami walk into his room. “With a little more pep in your step, I see.” He eyed her up and down, “Wait! You gave her a chance?”

Asami laughed. “How’re you doing this morning, Mr. Mori?”

“Oh, please. Call me Isamu.” He sighed. “And I’m alright. I’m going to another facility soon.”

Asami raised an eyebrow, “Another facility? You’re not going...home? I thought that was what you and your family agreed on, comfort care at home.”

“I don’t want Sachi to see me  _ dying _ at home. What a terrible memory that would be.”

“Well, I’m glad you were able to talk to your husband about it-”

“He doesn’t know. I-I signed myself up behind his back weeks ago. I’ve been thinking about this for a while. He’d never understand.”

Asami could hear the uneasiness in her patient’s voice. She sat at the bedside and reached for his hand, which was sitting atop his lap. “Sir, I think it would be a good idea to tell him. What’ll happen when he finds out?”

Isamu thought for a second. “I  _ can’t _ , Asami, he’ll never understand.”

As if on cue, Keitaro and Sachi both walked in, boxes of food in hand. Isamu’s worried demeanor was quickly replaced with a mask of cheerfulness. “Hey! I was wondering where you two were.”

Sachi ardently jumped on the empty space of the bed. “Pops, I got you all of your favorites!” She opened the box and pointed at all of the items. “We have bacon, toast, and…”

Asami stood up from her seat so Keitaro could take her place. The family looked so happy together, so lively and positive. She stood in the doorway, watching them. Isamu met her eyes and he gave her a look as if to say, “Look at how happy they are”, almost pleading for her not to mention his change of plans. 

The nurse walked out of the room and sat in the nurses station. A part of her was brought back to the past where her mother was on that same death bed. Her family was always glued together by the joy and love radiating from Yasuko. When she had expired, that glue melted away and what was left of her happy, normal family was shattered into nothing. So when her father had asked her to have dinner at the estate, their home that hadn’t been lived in for so long, she was shocked. 

It was like her father was finally trying to be a part of her life, a part of the family she wanted badly to have. Hiroshi had finally realized that Asami was  _ worth _ seeing, was important enough to be having dinner with. But what was the reason? There was always a reason behind Hiroshi’s actions. Asami hoped that reason wasn’t Iroh. The two men had been getting along and it seemed as if the new member to their “family” was what excited Hiroshi the most. It was the idea that his daughter finally found someone to care for her, to have a future with. He was hoping for Asami to eventually carry on the Sato legacy, but a hidden part of Asami didn’t even want to. 

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Asami looked up to Wu sitting on the computer next to her. “Have you ever kept a secret from Mako?”

Wu made a  _ pshh _ sound with her lips. “Duh. He thinks I wake up looking like this-” He waved a hand around his face “-But I actually wake up an hour earlier getting ready before climbing back in bed and fake-waking up to his nasty morning breath.”

“Wu, not like that!” She playfully shoved him on the shoulder. “Like, say you’re keeping something from him, but for his own good. You  _ know _ it’s going to hurt him, so you keep it to yourself. Then again, you’re afraid that once he finds out, he’ll be so upset with you, he won’t want to talk to you.”

Her companion thought for a second. “Hm, sounds like you’re going through something. Tell me more.”

Asami rolled her eyes, “I don’t want you responding to me as a  _ nurse. _ Respond as my friend.”

“Okay, well, if whatever secret I was keeping were to hurt him, I guess I would make it so that he  _ doesn’t _ find out whatever I’m defending him from.”

Asami thought for a second and wondered if the call that had interrupted her conversation with Korra earlier that morning was a sign from the universe telling her it wasn’t the time to confess just yet. Undoubtedly, Korra would be confused about her and Iroh’s false relationship. And especially with how new and fragile everything was, she didn’t want the unexpected confession to push Korra away. After a moment, she decided it wasn’t time to mention Iroh yet. 

~~~

Lunch quickly came and Asami found herself going down to the cafeteria for a quick break. She was in line for the food bar when Iroh walked up to her. 

“Hey, you haven’t been answering any of my calls-”

Asami turned her head towards him and instantly glared. “Why didn’t you tell me my dad was staying in the city?”

“You weren’t answering my calls, Asami. Did you want me to come into your home unannounced, interrupting you and Korra’s little moment?” He scoffed. “I saw you two in the hallway last night.”

Asami noted the disgruntled look on his face and the discontent in his voice, but instead of bringing it up, she ignored it. “Did he tell you why he was staying?”

“Well, I told him it would be a good idea to take things slow for a while. I recommended him staying close to the hospital, just in case he experienced any chest pain. You know, the usual things you’d recommend for people who’ve had heart attacks.”

“Now we’re going to have to keep this act up until he leaves!” Asami said in disbelief.

Iroh folded his arms, his eyebrows knitted together in irritation. “Shouldn’t you be  _ happy _ he’s staying? You can monitor him better now.”

It was Asami’s turn to scoff. Iroh didn’t know how difficult her father was, how much hurt and pain he had over her. His presence was almost suffocating. “He can take care of himself, Iroh.”

“You’re not upset at me. You’re upset because you don’t want him finding out about you and Korra. By the looks of it, you two are getting along way better than you were before, too.”

She sighed, trying to suppress the annoyance from reaching her throat. Iroh was right. “Fine. But you don’t know my past with him, Iroh. He’s not the good man you think he is-”

“Are you really trash-talking your _sick_ father right now, Asami? He had a heart attack. The _least_ you could do is be there for him.” He continued glaring at the woman. “You’re too busy sucking faces with your _little_ _girlfriend_ that you’re forgetting about the only family member you have left.” His tone was ruthless, but it softened at the look of exasperation on Asami’s face. “I know I’m being harsh, but I think you need a reality check right now. What’s more important, Asami?”

Asami couldn’t believe how bold Iroh was to speak to her in that manner. She wanted to slap him in his pretty face, but deep down inside, she knew he wasn’t wrong. It was true, her focus wasn’t on her father’s health, but on her relationship with the Inuit. The heiress put her pride aside and nodded. 

Satisfied with her look of comprehension, Iroh changed the subject. “So, about that dinner with him?”

“I kind of invited the entire crew to it too. I thought it’d be a good idea.”

“Do they know about you and I?”

Asami sighed. “No. I haven’t even told Korra.”

Iroh’s tense composure loosened. “Maybe you shouldn’t say anything just yet.”

“But if Korra finds out without me telling her, she’ll think-”

“Isn’t your father’s happiness more important, Asami? He  _ loves _ me with you. Plus, if you tell Korra or any of your friends, what makes you think they won’t say anything to ruin that bit of happiness Hiroshi’s holding onto right now?”

Iroh had a point. The last thing she wanted was to stress out and exacerbate her father’s condition even more. 

_ Just have to keep this act up until he leaves.. _

“You’re right. I don’t want her seeing me with you, though. I won’t invite her.”

Iroh gave her a handsome smile, a devilish feeling was embedded behind it. 

~~~

Closer to the end of her shift, Asami found Sachi in tears sitting in the waiting room. She walked up and took the empty seat next to her, thinking that the weight of her father’s situation was overwhelming for the young girl. Asami knew that feeling all too well. She too had spent countless hours hidden away from her parents’ sights, crying alone.

“Did you know about the facility?” Sachi sniffed, rubbing away the water building up around her eyes. 

Asami didn’t know what to say, surprised by the question the girl asked. 

Sachi held up a brochure to the hospice care facility Isamu had been talking about. “I found it under one of his pillows. Dad’s talking to him right now.” Tears began dropping on the piece of paper, saturating the picture of the grand building with its nicely cut grass and bushes. 

“He mentioned it to me.” She reached over and put an arm around the girl’s shoulder. “I can see that you’re really upset by your pops’ choice. Can you tell me why?”

“We...we all agreed he’d stay home, but he made  _ this _ decision-” she slapped the brochure “-by himself! Without t-taking  _ dad’s  _ feelings _ , my _ feelings into consideration. He-he’s going to  _ die _ and he doesn’t want me around to be there for him.”

Asami began rubbing comforting strokes on Sachi’s back. “It’s not that. He doesn’t want you seeing him so  _ vulnerable _ , so weak. Sachi, your dad loves you, there’s no doubt about it. He doesn’t want the last memory you have of him be him struggling to catch his last breath.”

Sachi began crying again. “But...he lied, Miss Asami. He lied to me and dad. We-we agreed on him staying home. We-we’re his family and he doesn’t want us to be there for him.”

Asami sat there, holding the young girl in her arms. A quick memory flashed of her sitting at the same chair, being held by Kya or was it Lin? Katara? Tenzin? She couldn’t remember. It seemed as if they all took turns comforting the young Asami. 

  
  


After consoling Sachi, the nurse decided to see how Isamu and his husband were doing. When she walked into the room, Keitaro was on a chair sobbing while her patient was in bed, staring at the ceiling. 

“I just...don’t understand why you can’t be home with me and your daughter.” Keitaro said weakly. 

“I don’t want you seeing me like  _ this _ . I’m going to  _ die _ , Keitaro. I’m going to leave this earth and it’s going to hurt, it’s going to be painful. I don’t want it to traumatize our little girl.”

To Asami’s astonishment, Sachi had followed her and was now entering the room. “I’m not a little girl anymore, pops. I  _ know _ you’re going to leave us, I know what death means. You can’t keep trying to protect me like this.” She walked towards the bed. “I can’t keep seeing you two fighting, not with the small amount of time we have left with you, pops.”

Keitaro looked up and stood to hug his daughter, “I’m sorry you had to see us fight.”

Isamu pressed the controls on the bed so that the head of his bed lifted up. “I...can’t  _ see _ you two hurting because of me.”

The two members of his family quietly walked up to him and they all hugged. 

Sachi pleaded, “Pops, please stay home with us. I don’t care about the pain and hurt this whole thing has been giving us. What matters is that when we’re all together, we’re happy, we’re as normal as normal is for us. Even if it’s for a small while.”

Asami watched as her patient nodded in agreement, holding tightly onto his daughter. She gave him a warm smile and walked out of the room. 

  
  


The nurse understood why Isamu had kept his secret wish from his family. Her mother had done the same. Yasuko had wanted to rest in a facility just like the one Isamu had chosen, away from her and Hiroshi. When Asami found out, she was angry at her mother’s decision. How could she make that decision all by herself, without asking how she felt about it? 

She realized years later, though, that her mother had been  _ afraid _ . It had pained Yasuko to see her only daughter look at her with so much heartache. Though Asami was young, she knew what her mother’s condition had entailed, she knew the amount of discomfort and torment her mother was in every second she was laying on that hospital bed. Being home wouldn’t have made a difference...or maybe it would have. Asami wouldn’t have known. Before having the chance to convince her mother into staying at the estate, her mother had gasped her last breath in the four-by-four hospital bed she was so accustomed to. 

  
Maybe if her mother had been home with them, her relationship with her father would’ve been different. Maybe the comfort of their home would have made her family less tense. Maybe being at home would have given them the opportunity to actually  _ be _ a family. But Asami knew that that couldn’t be. A change of environment couldn’t have possibly cured the number of problems her parents had always been plagued with. 


	17. Do You Know?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter gives homage to grey's anatomy's S10, E17 and its very own christina yang. 
> 
> it was very difficult to bring this chapter to life, i can only hope you enjoy it :)
> 
> i have loads of ideas, but not much motivation to write lol but reading your comments definitely help <3

_Do you know who you are? Do you know what’s happened to you? Do you want to live this way?_

All it takes is a _single_ person - one patient - one moment to change your life forever. It can alter your point of view, recolor your thinking, rearrange the pieces that used to fit perfectly together. A single moment can push you to re-evaluate the truths you once believed in - to make you ask yourself the toughest questions…

_Do you know who you are?_

_Do you know what’s happened to you?_

_Do you want to live this way?_

  
  


Asami stood over her patient, Keo Sayavong, who was sedated and laying in bed bed, a full body cast surrounding her. Her husband, Phet, mimicked Asami’s position, staring intently at his wife’s condition.

Dr. Paku was speaking to the both of them, but Asami was the only one listening.

“The crash severed Keo’s spinal cord at C3,” Dr. Paku reiterated. “This means she’ll be paralyzed- but her brain function is good. We also got rid of the cancerous tumor that was found in her liver-” 

Finally aware of the physician's words, Phet looked up, “Can she - can she breathe on her own?” His eyes traveled from the large mechanical ventilator on the other side of them to the endotracheal tube in the woman’s throat. Even with the uncomfortable position she was in, her face looked at peace, almost angelic. 

“Unfortunately, no.” Noticing the worry in the man’s eyes, Dr. Paku added, “But we do have some options to enhance her quality of living. For one, we can perform a surgery that’ll help her sit up. Of course, this’ll only be after she’s recovered fully.” 

Not listening to the other half of Dr. Paku’s words, Phet asked, “Will she ever...breathe on her own?”

A few seconds of silence. 

“No, sir,” Dr. Paku watched Phet carefully. 

“Wake her up. She needs to-to wake up. You have to ask her if she wants the vent removed-”

“The ventilator is what’s keeping her alive.” It was Asami who spoke. The two heads turned towards her.

Phet stared at her pleadingly. “We were supposed to celebrate our ten years anniversary together at the drive-in where we spent our very first date. I was supposed to-to surprise her the night of the accident.” He sniffed and tried to keep his composure calm, facing Asami. “Tell me, have you ever been in love?”

The nurse’s mind instantly, without any push, wandered to the deep blue eyes she had grown to care for. Though the two had only been together for a little over a week, Asami could picture Korra’s face so _clearly_ at the mention of love. 

“I understand what removing the vent will do,” Phet began again. He kept his eyes focused on Asami. “I know everything about Keo. I understand how she thinks, I get her humor. I automatically know what she’ll order at-at any restaurant we go to. I don’t think she’d want _this_. I know it.” He held a hand over his mouth as he looked over at his wife once again, visibly trying to fight back the tears tugging on his eyelids. “I think she would rather die...than live another minute hooked up to a machine.”

Dr. Paku nodded. “It’s your wife’s right to decline treatment. _If_ that’s what she wants. It’ll take time to fully wean her off the sedation, but Miss Asami will let you know once she is fully awake.”

  
  
  


“Hey, Asami, are you listening?” Iroh waved a hand in front of her face. 

The nurse blinked a couple of times, slowly, trying to bring herself back to reality. She had been thinking about the dinner party her father had invited her friends to. Usually, the skilled nurse’s memory was sharp; she was very observant and a fantastic active listener. Now though, she found herself zoning off in the middle of conversations, her body changing its gears to autopilot. 

“Yeah,” She lied after realizing that she didn’t exactly know when Iroh had taken the empty seat across the table. It was lunch time, that much she knew, and her legs had carried her to the cafeteria to have her first meal of the day. 

“So you think I should wear the black suit over the gray one on Sunday?”

“What’s happening on Sunday?”

“Dinner...with your father.” He looked at her questioningly. “Did you forget?”

_Fuck!_ Did the week go by that quickly? It had been a lengthy, demanding few days and Asami had lost track of what day it was more than twice. Her mind was scattered all over the place and now, there were only two days left before she had to put on that _perfect_ daughter act.

“No, of course not! I’m excited.” She smiled with fake vigor, not knowing if she fooled her companion or not. “I’m wearing a red dress. Black would be a perfect match.”

“You’re right. Okay, black suit it is.” He smiled at her with that charming smile of his and if Asami hadn’t unconsciously despised him, maybe it would have fascinated her.

In the corner of her eyes, Asami saw Kuvira staring at them, an eyebrow raised high and a disappointed frown on her face. The Unidad began walking towards them, making Asami stir uncomfortably in her seat.

Iroh stood up and gave her a tight hug just as Kuvira took the vacant seat. Iroh gave the two women a small nod, “I’ll see you both on Sunday, ladies.” He walked away from the table.

Kuvira folded her arms together and stared straight at Asami, waiting for the woman to explain.

“It’s not what it looks like-“

“Yeah, it better _not_ be, Sato.” Kuvira pointed at her, accusingly. “Aren’t _you_ with Korra now?”

Asami tried her best to explain her situation with Iroh and her father. Kuvira had nodded understandingly up until Asami had mentioned that Korra didn’t know about any of these affairs.

“If you don’t tell her, _I_ will,” Kuvira scoffed. After a moment, she started again, “You know what? I don’t get why you’re doing this, Asami.”

“It’s for my dad, Kuv, he likes Iroh. We’re trying to show him a relationship he’ll accept, at least until he leaves the city.” She tried to plead her case, without any luck. “My dad’s happy, finally _proud_ of me-“

“You’re doing this all for a man who would throw you away like a bag of trash if he ever found out about the truth, about the _real_ you and who you’re really dating,” Kuvira admitted for Asami, who grimaced at the truth. “You’re going around faking a _stupid_ relationship with an arrogant jerk, and in the meantime you’re _lying_ to Korra. As your friend, Asami, I have a duty to say this...Get your shit together!”

“I just…I’ve been so busy, I haven’t had the time to tell her.”

“That’s your excuse, Sato? Come on, if you don’t tell Korra, I will.” Kuvira repeated again, but this time, more demanding.

Asami thought for a second, unable to mask away the hesitancy on her face.

  
  
  


“Keo? My name is Asami, I’m your nurse,” the nurse said to her patient, who was finally awake and conscious. “I know you must be very confused right now, but I need to ask you some questions, okay?”

Keo stared at her, frightened by her external surroundings. Her eyes wandered to Phet and she nodded. 

“There’s a tube down your throat, so you’re unable to speak, but you should be able to nod yes or no. Think you can do that for me?” Asami asked and after a moment, Keo nodded. “Okay, that’s great. Let’s get started.”

“Do you know who you are?” 

She nodded. 

“Do you know where you are?”

Keo slowly looked around the room with her eyes, unable to move her neck with the brace surrounding it. She nodded after a beat. 

“Do you know what has happened to you?”

She stiffly shook her head no.

“You were in a motor-vehicle accident. Your car was hit from behind and it flipped over to oncoming traffic. You’ve been in the hospital for a couple of days.”

Asami watched as Keo’s frightened expression became more evident. The patient moved her attention towards her husband.

“Do you know who this is?” Asami pointed at Phet. 

Keo nodded, keeping her eyes glued to Phet. 

“You’re paralyzed from the neck down. Your spine was crushed in the accident. You’re currently breathing with the help of a ventilator, the tube in your mouth,” Dr. Paku explained. “Now, I understand it might be your wish to remove the vent?”

Keo watched her husband begin to silently cry. After a moment, she nodded. 

“I want to make sure you understand what this means. The ventilator is breathing _for_ you. Without it, you won’t be able to breathe on your own. If you can’t breathe, you will _die_. It might take a couple of hours, probably less. Do you understand?”

She nodded. 

“Do you still want me to remove the vent?” Dr. Paku asked and Asami could feel the weight of the situation on her chest. 

Tears began falling down the patient’s cheeks. Phet forced himself to stop crying. “Whatever you decide, I’ll be here. I-I’ll support you. I love you.” His words stung Asami, but her stoic expression remained unchanged. Keo nodded, as if to respond to her husband’s sentiments. 

Her eyes met the physician’s and slowly, she nodded for the last time. 

~~~

Opal threw the last maroon pillow over to Bolin, who gently placed it on the newly built balcony bed. “All done and it only took us a couple of hours!”

Korra looked over at their creation. On one side of the balcony, they had created a mini-bed with the four-by-four wooden pallets her and Mako had bought earlier that afternoon. Bolin and Opal had decorated it with black sheets and maroon pillows to match. Atop hung a single row of string lights that Mako had placed. Beside the bed was a small glass table and a single vase of red roses, which Korra had gotten from Uncle Iroh’s stall, sat on it. On the other side of the balcony, she had also strategically placed a variety of large potted plants that she knew Asami would appreciate. 

Today was Korra’s first day off from a hectic week at the hospital. After Asami had left the condo, she had gone back to her own, planning to gather more clothes to take to Asami’s for the upcoming week. The two had been inseparable since Asami had given their relationship a chance. Korra found herself going home to Asami’s every single night since then, and though they practically slept in the same bed every night, there wasn’t an explicit label Korra could call them, nor did she know the extent of their relationship. In fear of overwhelming the heiress, she never really brought it up. What was evident, though, was how enamored they both were in each other’s presence. 

What was supposed to be a quick trip to the apartment, turned to an hour long talk with Opal. She hadn’t come back home since Opal had bursted through Kuvira’s doors and accused the Unidad of still liking Korra. It was awkward at work, to say the least, and instead of making it more awkward at home, Korra had taken refuge at Asami’s. Luckily, Bolin had agreed to care for Naga in the meantime and Asami had insisted on her staying at the condo. 

  
  
  
  


Carrying a large duffel bag around her shoulder, Korra was about to head out of Opal’s apartment until the Beifong herself had asked her where she was going. 

Korra had turned her head to the voice, surprised to see Opal standing in the kitchen with her arms crossed. Though they hadn’t shared a decent conversation in a while, Korra still saw her as a friend. She forced herself to smile and gave her an awkward wave, “Oh, hey. Sorry, I didn’t know you were home.”

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you, but you’re never here and I when I do see you at work, you’re always busy doing something.”

“Yeah, Kya’s been giving me harder patient assignments every day, so…” She noticed the longing in her roommate’s eyes. “What’d you wanna talk about?”

“Kuvira told me what you did, how you helped set up the temple for me.” Opal carefully walked closer to her friend, scared that with one wrong step, Korra would run again. “I want to thank you. She wouldn’t have done anything like that so quickly without another person pushing her.”

“She was the brain, I was just the muscle that helped make it happen.” Korra found herself smiling at Opal, missing the friendship they had built together. 

“Listen, I’m sorry-”

“I want to apologize-”

The two stared at each other and giggled. Korra laughed, “You go.”

“I’m sorry for everything. I know now that I was being a bad friend putting you in such an uncomfortable position like that. You’re a great friend, Korr, to Kuvira and me, and I...miss my friend.”

The Inuit hadn’t expected that. In fact, she expected Opal to still be upset at her. Guilt-stricken, she slowly walked up to Opal and before she knew it, her arms were wrapped around the smaller woman. Korra’s only focus this past week was on nursing and on Asami. But the look on Opal’s face made her realize that she was so immersed in everything else that she was neglecting her friendships. Before all of this happened, she had considered Bolin, Mako, and Opal her new family. She had distanced herself from them, without knowing the extent of how they felt. 

Afterwards, Opal had asked about Asami and for the first time, Korra was able to geek out about her new relationship. When Korra had mentioned that they hadn’t gone on a single date, Opal became adamant on helping her surprise Asami with a first date. It wasn’t like Korra didn’t want to take Asami to a fancy restaurant or to a movie, or anything that would consider a “perfect first date”, but Asami’s schedule never aligned with hers. 

  
  
  
  


And that’s what the Boo Boo Krew had done the entire day- created the most beautiful and thoughtful scene for Korra to surprise and provide for Asami. Of course, it was all Korra’s idea, but she needed the hands to flawlessly execute it. First, the two would have dinner on the balcony, then take the date to the newly created outdoor bed. Korra would grab the portable projector, position it towards the empty wall on the other side of the balcony, and they would binge watch Asami’s favorite movies. A dinner and a movie all in their home, what could go wrong?

Korra wanted the night to be perfect, out of a _movie_ _scene_ _perfect_. The two had a particularly stressful, long week. For Korra, it was because Kya had given her more hours and shifts, seeing that the new nurse was now comfortable working around the unit. Asami, on the other hand, wanted to win _The_ _Tree_ _of_ _Time_ _Award_. She had briefly described this type of recognition to Korra once, apparently only the most extraordinary, super-human nurse was ever awarded it. 

That’s why tonight had to be flawless. For once, Asami deserved to be swept off her feet. Korra wanted to make sure that this date would open the other woman’s eyes to the endless possibilities of their future. She was letting her heart spiral into the abyss that were green eyes and pale skin, but she was far from afraid of falling. Something in Korra’s heart knew that Asami was always going to be there to catch her. 

Mako handed Korra the platter of sushi he had neatly organized and a very expensive bottle of red wine. “Asami’s going to love it,” he reassured his friend, noticing the nervousness beginning to show on her face.

“You’re definitely _whipped_ , Korr,” Bolin joked.

“Am not!” Korra pouted. But she was, she couldn’t deny Asami’s pull on her. 

Opal began lighting the candles that were lined up on the thick balcony railing. It was almost eight o’clock and Asami should have left the Hospital by now. 

Korra gave each of them a hug. Even when she hadn’t spoken with them for days, they still had her back. She promised herself to be a better friend and roommate, already planning on spending her next day off with them. 

Mako stared at her up and down, admiring the fitted maroon suit she was wearing. “You look really good, K, but shouldn’t you be saving this fit for Sunday?”

“Well, it’s not like she’ll have it on for long after Asami sees what she’s done tonight!” Bolin wiggled his eyebrows at Korra, nudging her with an elbow. 

The young nurse stared at her friends confused. What was happening on Sunday?

Opal caught on to the look quickly, so she asked, “Aren’t you going to dinner with us on Sunday? You know, at the Sato Estate? Your _girlfriend’s_ dad invited us?”

“Duh, Opal. Asami wouldn’t _not_ invite her own girlfriend-” Bolin paused as he noticed the frown beginning to form on Korra’s face. It finally registered to all of them that Asami hadn’t mentioned the dinner to Korra. Why? The three couldn’t figure it out as they shared questioning glances. 

Korra tried to play it cool, fixing the wrinkles that were beginning to form on her face. “Oh-oh, yeah! I have a-another suit just for the occasion,” she lied, hoping her friends had believed it, but she knew they didn’t. “How could I forget?” She let out a forced laugh. 

The conversation was followed by an unpleasant silence. Mako, Opal, and Bolin had all decided to leave the condo, knowing that Asami was going to be home soon. It was clear that Asami and Korra had to have a conversation alone and they wanted to give the two privacy to hash it out. Korra stared blankly at the newly improved balcony. Alone, she began to overthink. 

She tried hard not to, but she couldn’t stop the degrading thoughts from flooding her headspace. How could the older nurse invite all of their other friends and not _her_ ? Did Hiroshi know about Korra or was Asami hiding their relationship because she was _ashamed_ to be with Korra? Was their relationship even _real_? 

Korra’s eyes traveled across the balcony floor, noting every little detail she had put into tonight. She looked at the potted plants that she had handpicked at Uncle Iroh’s, the pallets that had taken all four of the friends to bring up to Asami’s condo, the white rose petals scattered around the floor. Korra suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She was doing all of this for the woman she was falling for, but what if Asami didn’t even feel the same way? Sure, they had been inseparable all week, but Asami never explicitly said she wanted a _relationship_ with Korra. Asami had said over and over again that she wanted to take things slow, but Korra never liked slow. She was headstrong and impulsive, loyal and passionate. When Korra knew what she wanted, she was _all_ in. Nothing less. But...what did Asami want? 

~~~

Asami tiredly walked towards her vehicle. Behind her, Kuvira called out, but knowing what her friend was already going to pester her with, Asami quickened her pace. 

“You’re seriously running away again, Sato?” Kuvira caught up with Asami, despite her longer legs. Nevertheless, she didn’t have to listen to Kuvira. She had another heavy day, all she wanted was to lay in her bed and forget about the stress drowning her.

Kuvira tried again. “You going to tell Korra or do I have to? What you’re doing is _unfair_ to her, to your relationship. You know that.”

Asami sighed, loud for the other nurse to hear. She was annoyed at the accusatory tone confidently flowing out of Kuvira’s mouth. Of course it wasn’t fair, Asami wasn’t dumb, she knew what she was doing. She had wanted to come clean to Korra all week, but every moment they shared was always intimate and delicate. Asami couldn’t bring herself to ruin the exquisite smile that was always on Korra’s face whenever they were together. Their relationship was as fragile as a rose, especially since it was just beginning to bloom. Asami wanted to keep the sunshine for as long as possible, and she knew that the moment she spoke about her father, the thunderstorms and dark clouds would come rolling in. Besides, her father would be leaving in a couple of weeks and when that happened, she planned to avoid Iroh as much as she could. 

Asami quickened her pace, ignoring Kuvira. Once she reached her vehicle, she got in as fast as she could and started the engine. 

Kuvira rolled her eyes. “ _Tch_ , fine. I’ll do it for you.” She walked to her own car, clutching her phone in one hand. Korra was her best friend and if she was in Korra’s shoes (Spirits forbid Opal would ever lie to her the way Asami was), she’d want to be made aware of what was being hidden from her. Korra didn’t deserve to be in the dark, not when she was involved.

~~~

Korra sat on the floor of the balcony, with her legs crossed together. She was in the process of cleaning up the rose petals, deciding that tonight wasn’t going to be a good night for her and Asami’s first date. She wasn’t in the mood to share a romantic moment with Asami anymore. If she was being honest, she didn’t know exactly what she was feeling. It wasn’t anger or frustration tugging at her heart. Maybe it was betrayal, confusion, hurt. 

After grabbing a few of the rose petals generously placed on the balcony, she sunk to the floor, huffing in the process. What was she doing? Korra didn’t want to argue with Asami. The heiress wouldn’t do anything to hurt her, not intentionally and Korra _knew_ that for sure. She was going into the relationship blindly, not even a fool would. But it was with _Asami_. Her Asami. The woman who was selfless and caring, softhearted and sweet. Instantly, the negative feelings and thoughts escaped her mind and all she wanted to do was see Asami - to give her the opportunity to explain what was going on. It wasn’t fair to persecute her without listening to what she had to say, without understanding her intentions.

The buzzing in her pocket frightened her for a second, but seeing it was from Kuvira, she gained her composure and answered it. 

**_“Korra? I have something to tell you.”_ **

~~~

Asami had been sitting in her parked car for a few minutes now, staring blankly at nothing in particular. Her mind was scrambled from the hectic week and now the stress of her father’s dinner was consuming her, too. 

_Do you know who you are?_

She was the daughter of Hiroshi Sato. That’s how she was introduced at the galas and company parties her parents would host. She was the golden child, the perfect prodigy, daddy’s little girl. But with Korra, she wasn’t any of that. She was “‘Sami”. She was the woman that Korra waited up for at home after work. She was the only person that could get Korra laughing until she couldn’t breathe. She was the one who Korra held close to her heart every night as she fell asleep for the past week. 

_Do you know what’s happened to you?_

Asami didn’t know how she got to this point in her life, how deep of a hole she had dug herself in with the lies she made. Whenever she was around her father, the fake mask she always plastered on felt real, natural. It was like muscle memory to lie. She was so fixated on pleasing her father, keeping their relationship intact, that everything else around her was a blur - except for when familiar blue eyes were in her peripheral vision. She was falling for the Inuit fast, as if she had willingly jumped off an airplane without a single thought of bringing a parachute, and the high of the moment was keeping her soaring with glee and excitement. That’s how much she trusted Korra to catch her, to wait for her to come down. The younger nurse was _spontaneous_ and though Asami was a planner at heart, the rush Korra would give her was exhilarating. The stoic expression Asami was pro at maintaining was replaced with a genuine look of happiness. 

_Do you want to live this way?_

“No. No!” Asami was screaming out the simple word now. She had become erratic in a matter of seconds, pounding on her steering wheel as the teardrops began rolling away from her. Her heavy breathing made her realize the sudden change in her behavior and she rapidly gathered herself together, in fear of anyone noticing how crazy she looked. Even in this type of vulnerability, her image was still her first priority. That’s how she was raised, how she was conditioned - to smile for the cameras, to be picture perfect ready.

When she was younger, she prided herself with that sort of identification, knowing the empire Hiroshi had built, seeing how elegant and beautiful her mother looked as she walked down their staircase to meet their guests. Being a Sato was a _privilege_. The name came with money, fame, cameras - exploitation, abuse, pressure to be the best. The truth is, Asami didn’t want to be the daughter of Hiroshi anymore. 

Korra had told her once that she didn’t need to be the best, to be the frontrunner. 

_“Perfection never comes easy. I don’t want you losing pieces of yourself just to achieve something completely unattainable. The way that you are, the person who you are, that’s_ always _going to be enough.”_

The words had hit Asami _hard_ . This was the first time in the twenty-five years of her existence that someone had wanted her to be herself. Korra didn’t care about her last name. Korra didn’t mind if she wore her glasses or contacts, had on make-up or was bare-faced, put on a silky nightgown or a baggy t-shirt for bed. No, all Korra wanted was for Asami to be _happy_ in her own skin, her own being.

And that kind of genuine glow was because of _Korra_.

The lies, the masks, the web of deceit she had been creating for the past few years weren’t worth it. Not if it meant she had to sacrifice a life with Korra for her father’s acceptance. Asami instantly knew what she wanted. 

She sped out of the parking lot and drove home, determined to let the lies fall. 

  
  
  


When Asami got to the condo, the living room was empty and pitch black. An odd silence filled the air and she couldn’t help but shiver at how eerie it felt. Usually, Korra would be waiting for her in the living room, sitting patiently on the couch and wearing the biggest smile on her face as she noticed Asami walking through the door. Korra would run up and hug her, while asking how her day was. But Korra was nowhere to be found. She began frantically searching for her.

She continued to walk through the condo, calling out for the shorter woman but never getting a response back. After a couple of minutes, she noticed a bright glow radiating from the balcony, hidden by the light gray curtains that were covering the entrance. Asami uncovered the curtains, pulling the glass sliding door to the side.

Awestruck, she stared at the personalized setting in front of her. Asami was too surprised to speak, her eyes catching the back of Korra’s head. The Inuit was leaning against the railing, her phone in one hand and a half empty bottle of wine in the other. Asami’s heart dropped into her stomach and she immediately knew that something was wrong.

“Y-you _know_.” It came off as a statement, but she meant it as a question. 

Korra didn’t answer. Asami slowly walked over to her side.

“I was going to tell you, I promise! I just, I’ve been so busy and-”

“So, you and Iroh, huh?” 

Caught off-guard, Asami nodded, unable to hold anymore lies. “I can explain-”

“You don’t have to. Kuvira told me _everything._ ” Her eyes were glued to the outside world, not meeting Asami’s.

Asami sighed in defeat, “Of course Kuvira told you.”

“No, don’t blame your _stupid_ decisions on Kuvira! Kuvira wasn’t the one flirting with _him_ , she wasn’t the one leading _me_ on!” Korra turned her head over to Asami. Earlier, Kuvira had revealed that she had seen Iroh flirting with the heiress in the cafeteria. The Unidad had said other things after that, but Korra had subconsciously blocked the rest of the conversation out and focused only on the simple fact that Asami had let it happen. Her tone softened when she saw an ounce of sorry beginning to show in Asami’s green diamonds. “Why couldn’t you just be honest with me?”

“I’m trying, Korra. Please, just let me explain-”

“If you wanted Iroh, you could have told me! I-I wouldn’t have been upset, but you-you led me on. This whole time, you never really wanted me. That’s why I’m not invited to that dinner everyone’s been raving about, but I know _Iroh_ was.” Korra searched Asami’s eyes. She swallowed hard. “Why...don’t you want me? What-what do I mean to you-”

Asami didn’t know what forced her hands to reach for Korra’s body, but in half a second, her arms were wrapped tightly around Korra’s shoulders. Maybe it was Raava herself that had brought their bodies to collide, but in that moment, there was no denying how perfect they fit together - just like two puzzle pieces, solely made to easily attach to one another. Korra’s bottom lip was in hers and Asami hoped that her feelings, emotions, and thoughts about the shorter woman were projected in the gentleness of the kiss. When the two separated, Asami rested her forehead on Korra’s and they stayed like this for a moment. 

“You mean everything to me, Korra, believe me when I say this,” Asami whispered softly, only for Korra to hear. 

“Then let me in, ‘Sami. _Please_.”

Asami pulled away and stared into Korra’s blues. Still, the Inuit was looking at her with so much hope and _love_ and Asami wasn’t nervous or scared to tell her anymore. She knew that however this conversation would end, Korra would still be there. What way, she didn’t know. 

Korra led her to the outdoor bed, which had replaced her usual iron seating. It took Asami a while to reformulate the explanation she had gone over on her way home, but when she opened her mouth, the words came out fluidly. She talked about her and Iroh’s ridiculous plan to satisfy her father’s expectations, she mentioned the amount of pressure her father’s eyes had given her, she explained her desire to please Hiroshi just once in her life.

Korra, at first, just stared at her. It was apparent she didn’t know how to respond. But after a beat, she reached for Asami’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Okay.” 

“You’re not...mad at me?”

To her surprise, Korra gave her a small smile. “No. I get it.” She moved up on the bed and patted the empty space beside her, Asami reluctantly followed suit. “I wouldn’t want to be Hiroshi’s daughter, either. I wouldn’t know how to act with all of the standards he’d put over me.” Korra wrapped her arms around Asami and held her tight. “I want you to know that you don’t have to be perfect around me. I like you as you are.”

And there it was. Even after all of the lies, Korra still wanted her. Asami felt the tears building in her eyes as she sunk into Korra’s touch. 

“I just want you to be honest with me from now on, okay?”

The entire night, Asami talked about everything and anything pertaining to her life. She spoke about how her father changed after her mother died, how she and Kuvira had that falling out before graduation, how determined she was to honor her mother’s legacy. She talked about the dinner party and how nervous she was now that she wanted to show Korra off as her _girlfriend_ \- this revelation earned Asami a signature crooked grin from Korra. 

She talked and talked and Korra _listened_.

A single person can change your life forever - can restructure the pieces of your life to finally fit the way it should. A single person could color your grey skies with yellows and oranges, blues and purples - can alter reality and make it worth living. Asami had found that person.

She was definitely all in.


	18. When Bad Things Hit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey folks, i hope ya'll like the drawing i did for this chapter. i'm thinking of going back and drawing pictures for the previous ones, what do ya'll think?
> 
> ANYWAY, we've hit 10,000+ hits! WOWZERSSS. i started this writing journey to exercise my creative side. i never thought the story would resonate with so many of you, so thank you for reading and commenting and leaving kudos <3 
> 
> i will introduce a new arc next time. call it a new "season" as you will hehe but with that being said, i need some time to hash the next part out so it might take a while for a new update! if ya'll wanna be friends, i finally made a twitter 🥺 ( @appasarrow1 ) i promise i don't bite!

_They hit you out of nowhere. When bad things come, they come suddenly without warning. We rarely get to see the catastrophe coming. No matter how well we try to prepare for it._

  
  
  


Asami let her body fall to the floor, her back sliding against the wooden door. She stared off into nothing, pulling a fisted hand to her chest, right where her heart was. It was as if someone had grabbed the sensitive organ and was forcefully squeezing, the walls were closing in. The gentle banging on the other side of the door reverberated around her. 

_It wasn’t supposed to be like this._

~~~

“You sure you want to tell Hiroshi about us?” Korra asked, sitting on the couch next to Asami. 

“Yes! It’s time.” The answer was immediate - Asami was ready. She wanted so badly to let everything out, to finally show her father who she was, the _real_ her. “Besides, I can’t keep doing this, it’s not fair to you.”

Korra grinned and reached over to give Asami a kiss. She moved and rested her head on Asami’s lap. This had been her place of comfort for the past couple of days.

Asami bent down and softly brushed her lips on Korra’s forehead, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. Warmth bubbled from her core to her chest and in this moment, she didn’t care what her father would say about them. 

But of course, it wasn’t that easy, it never was for her. She knew how he would react and that’s why she had a plan. 

  
  
  
  


“Wow, you’re very muscular,” the tailor pointed out, adjusting the measuring tape around Korra’s bicep. 

“Uh, thanks. You too?” She gave Asami a look.

Asami smiled at Korra, giving her two thumbs up. They were at Yin’s Tailor Shop, one her mother had always taken her to whenever a new dress needed to be made for one of Hiroshi’s many house parties. 

This was the first thing on the list today, #1 Get Korra a dress. 

Asami walked around the shop, and found a couple of dresses she wanted her girlfriend to try on. She knew exactly what type and what kind of dress her father would appreciate. Holding up the three dresses, Korra gave her another questioning look, but nodded anyway. Korra grabbed the fabrics and walked away to the dressing room. 

Asami sat there, waiting for her to get back. Her mind wandered to the days where Yasuko would take her to the shop, which hadn’t changed in the number of years she hadn’t stopped by. Asami always hated having to buy another dress when her closet was already filled with them, but she enjoyed how elegant the formal clothes had made her look. Yasuko would hold up a number of gowns she would have to try on, though they were conservative in design, the sparkles and colorful fabrics had made her feel like a princess. Thinking back to her mother’s look of encouragement and smiles they shared whenever Asami had found “the one”, she couldn’t help but think how much she took those moments for granted. Maybe she didn’t hate dress shopping, but hated the fact that it had to be for her father’s approval.

After a while, Korra awkwardly walked out of the dressing room. She tried posing for Asami, but the bottom of the dress had risen up her thighs. Korra scrambled to pull it back down just as Asami had begun looking her way. The heiress’s face turned beet red. 

The two hadn’t shared a moment of intimacy before. They had made out a few times, but whenever it got too steamy, Asami would push Korra away. And as understanding as Korra was, Asami had always felt bad. It wasn’t like she wasn’t ready, but to her, it was never the right moment. Now, seeing a little bit of exposed skin from Korra, it had made her feel a sudden desire that had been building up ever since that night in the hallway. 

“Uh, I don’t like it.” Korra’s voice grounded her back to reality. 

Asami agreed, “Yeah, too revealing for a family dinner.” She pointed to the next dress that was hanging from the rack. “Try that one.”

Korra did as told. After a moment, she came back with the stiffest posture Asami had ever seen the easygoing girl have. Simply put, Korra waddled like a penguin towards her. 

“Yin can tailor it to fit better,” Asami tried to reassure her. 

Korra turned around to look at herself in the mirror and she groaned. All Asami could pay attention to was how tight the bottom of the dress hugged her girlfriend’s hips down to her ass-

“I..don’t like this either.” Korra turned around and Asami quickly moved her head to the side. Noticing the blush creeping from the older nurse’s face, Korra smirked but didn’t say anything more. 

Korra tried on other dresses that ended up either being too revealing, too orthodox, or too unappealing for Korra’s taste. She was tired and sore from having to force herself in such tight clothing, but she didn’t mind. Doing this was obviously important to Asami, so it became important to her too. 

After coming out of the dressing room in her normal clothes, Asami had become restless. She was still sitting where she had been, now nervously staring at the clock. It was now one o’clock and there was still so much to do. Aware of the anxiety beginning to show on Asami’s face, Korra took a seat next to her, putting an arm around Asami’s waist. 

“Let’s go grab some lunch and we’ll come back later on today,” Korra suggested. To her surprise, Asami nodded and the two left the shop, promising Yin they would come back in a couple of hours. 

  
  
  
  
  


Asami took Korra to a small, family owned noodle restaurant a couple of blocks from Yin’s. It had a long wooden counter attached to the front of the store. There was a single square window above the counter where Korra guessed would be where they’d order from. Six seats were against the counter and one was occupied by an older gentleman. Korra and Asami took the two seats furthest from him. 

Asami gestured towards the menus that were pinned to the wall. “My mom used to take me here whenever we finished dress shopping. We’d be at Yin’s for _hours_ and the moment she heard my stomach grumble, she’d grab me by the arm and take me to this little hole in the wall.” She smiled at the memory, causing the Inuit to smile at her right back. 

This was the first time Asami had mentioned her mother in any of the personal conversations they had shared. “Today must bring back so many memories for you. Thank you for sharing them with me.” She reached over the counter to squeeze Asami’s hand.

When it was their turn to order, Korra had chosen the chicken ramen while Asami decided to get the spiciest bowl on the menu. They received their dishes quickly and began digging in. 

Asami remembered her to-do list and thought this would be a perfect opportunity to share some tips on how to handle her father at dinner. Hiroshi was a tough man to crack, but if you knew him like Asami did, he was simpler than at first glance. 

“My dad wasn’t always the way he is now,” Asami started, remembering the conversation they had on the balcony. She had shared the bad moments she had with her father, not bringing up the rare good ones. “He would always take me down to his private garages hidden in the Future Industries building. There, he’d let me help him screw on some things, sketch some ideas out, even pick out the colors of the next Satomobile models.” She looked over at Korra, who had stopped slurping her noodles and was now intently listening to the story. “There was one year where the new models were painted pink with sparkles and purple polka dots just because I had chosen that design,” Asami let out a soft laugh. “It goes to say that his board of directors were very angry at him for wasting a portion of that year’s budget on something so silly. Mom loved it, though. That was her favorite model that year!”

Korra snorted, picturing little Asami adamantly telling her dad to design a car in that color. 

“That’s the kind of father he was back then. He didn’t care about anyone else’s opinions. He cared about my mom and I, his family, and that was it. _We_ came first.” She sighed. “Now, the only things that come first are his image and his company. I...don’t know when it all changed, but it did.”

Korra looked at Asami empathetically, reaching for her shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze. She let her hand stay there, rubbing circles on Asami’s back. 

“I still like to believe that that man is still in there. He may be strict and may seem so harsh now, but he’s still the caring man I grew up knowing.”

The other woman nodded in understanding, giving Asami a small smile. “I know how much he means to you, ‘Sami. That’s why I know I need to be on my tip-top behavior at dinner tomorrow!”

Asami finally softened at Korra’s gesture, noticing how tense she had been. “I really appreciate it, love.” Korra moved closer and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. 

The two continued having their lunch, Asami shared more stories and tips on how to handle her father. She gave Korra some talking points for her to have in her back pocket. 

  
  
  
  


After the noodle shop, the two walked around the plaza downtown, Asami still talking about her father. Korra quickly learned that all of the good moments in Asami’s childhood always seemed to have Yasuko and Hiroshi together. If Asami’s father was the only parent mentioned, then it was more likely than not that the memory was traumatic. 

They reached the tailor shop once again and once again, Korra tried on a number of dresses. Without any luck, she slumped next to Asami after a couple of hours standing in the dressing room, removing and putting on dress after dress. 

Asami checked her watch, she had done this a lot during their time at Yin’s, it was already six o’clock and the dinner party was twenty-four hours from now. She unknowingly worried her bottom lip, but Korra noticed this right away. Asami only ever did this if something was on her mind or if she was worried and Korra knew it was the latter. 

“Hey, it’s okay. Maybe we can try another shop-”

“No!” Realizing she raised her voice, Asami’s tone softened. “I-I mean...my mom and I would go to this place for _years_. It’s a tradition and it wouldn’t feel right going to another shop when I’ve already promised Yin we’d find the right dress here. Besides, I wanted to share that tradition with you.”

Korra’s face eased at Asami’s confession. Determined, she got back up from their seat. “Let me find something then. You wait here.” She gave Asami a quick kiss on the lips and went deeper into the store. 

After a moment of waiting, Korra finally came back fully dressed in a perfectly fitted, burgundy blazer. The black slacks that went down just above her ankles matched the top perfectly. The blazer was unbuttoned, allowing the thin turtleneck to show through. Korra’s solid black Oxford shoes shined under the lights of the shop and Asami couldn’t help but stare at just how attractive her girlfriend looked in such a simple, yet sophisticated outfit. She had found the _one_ , and she wasn’t talking about Korra’s outfit. 

~~~

Korra rested her forehead on the door she had been beating on. Asami was just on the other side, yet Korra felt so distant from her. She sighed and sat on the floor just outside of the door, the back of her head leaning against it. Where did it all go wrong?

She remembered the look on Asami’s face when Hiroshi had raised his hand, the look of genuine fear was so apparent in the heiress’s eyes. Asami looked so small, so vulnerable in the presence of her father and Korra instantly knew that this wasn’t the first time Hiroshi had done this. 

In that second, Korra swore she had seen _red_. Her body moved too fast for her mind to catch up and suddenly, she was the one in front of Hiroshi’s wrath. The ringing in her ears had been too loud for her to understand the words that had come out of her mouth, but she knew then and there that she meant every single one. Then, Asami was gone. Without any word, her girlfriend had disappeared and it was all her fault. 

~~~

Korra opened the car door for Asami, marveling at her girlfriend’s natural beauty as she got up from the passenger’s seat and moved onto the driveway. Korra had decided to be the one that drove to the estate, given that Asami was wearing her signature high heels. The heiress had on a long-sleeved bodycon dress that showed off her slim figure to match. 

The two stood in front of the grand mansion’s entry doors, both nervous for the night’s endeavors. Luckily, the other guests had also begun parking next to their vehicle. 

First came Opal and Kuvira, then Bolin and Mako. To Asami’s surprise, Iroh wasn’t even there yet. It was unlike him to be late, usually he’d be the first to be at any event, but Asami didn’t mind, even wished he wouldn’t show. 

Opal’s arm was looped around Kuvira, the two women stood beside Korra and Asami. Bolin and Mako followed suit and in a matter of seconds, the crew walked through the double doors together. 

The first thing Korra noticed was the marble grand staircase in the middle of the opened floor. There, watching over them on the balcony, was Asami’s dad. Hiroshi waved at the nurses and headed down to greet them. 

“Asami, darling, I’m glad you and your friends could make it!” His voice was confident and loud, something about it made the hair on the back of Korra’s neck rise. 

Asami grinned at him as she gave her father a side hug. Hiroshi shook each of the nurse’s hands, but he stopped once he got to Korra and Asami. The smile on his face straightened as he looked between the two. 

“Where’s Iroh?” he asked Asami. 

“Oh, I’m not sure, dad,” she quickly responded. Asami put a hand on the small of Korra’s back and she instantly noticed Asami trembling, but before she could do anything to comfort her, the heiress cleared her throat, “Um, dad, I have something to tell-”

Suddenly, the large double doors opened once again. Hiroshi’s attention moved towards the man entering the spacious room. 

Iroh briskly walked towards the group and put himself next to Asami. As soon as he snaked an arm around her waist, Asami had dropped her own from Korra’s. 

Korra gave Asami a confused look, but her mouth was too dry to force any words out. 

“I apologize for being late, sir. Traffic and all,” Iroh said to nobody but Hiroshi. 

At the sight of Iroh, a welcoming smile began creeping onto Hiroshi’s face. “No need to apologize, son!” He gestured for the group to follow him towards the dining room.

The moment Hiroshi had turned his back away from the fake couple, Iroh glared at Korra and noticed her matching outfit with Asami’s burgundy dress. He looked down at his own red tie, which he added right after Asami had revealed the color of her own dress to be red, and groaned. With one hand, he loosened the tie and shoved it into his pocket.

Iroh still held onto Asami’s waist and Korra slowly found herself walking in the back with Mako and Bolin. 

“Did you guys talk about...you know what?” Bolin whispered to Korra.

She nodded in response. 

“Then am I missing something here?” He looked towards Iroh and Asami’s way.

“It’s all an act. She’ll tell Hiroshi about us soon,” Korra said, but surely hoped. 

When they reached the palacious dining area, a huge feast was awaiting them. On the table, there were a variety of dishes Korra had only seen on the cooking network at home. She gawked at the grilled fish, roasted ham, giant turkey, and the array of smaller dishes neatly scattered in front of her. She stared at Bolin, whose mouth was opened wider than hers. 

Korra was going to take a seat next to Asami, but Iroh had grabbed the seat before she could. Asami gave her an apologetic look and all Korra could do was nod in understanding, so instead, she sat across the table from Asami where Kuvira and Opal were. Asami was sandwiched between Bolin and Iroh and on the other sides of the table, were Mako and Hiroshi. 

Hiroshi stood up from his seat and with the same booming voice, he made a toast, “Tonight, I want to thank all of you who took care of _me_ when I was ill. You showed me genuine care and compassion and for that, I am grateful.” He smiled at Iroh then nodded at each of the other nurses. “Asami had always dreamed of being a nurse and I am so, so glad that she found a group of people who have shown her nothing but kindness. So tonight, I’ve prepared this get together to honor that same kindness you’ve shown me, too.” Hiroshi looked towards Asami’s way, “Asami, I’m so _proud_ of who you’ve become. And to all of you, thank you.” He raised his glass and the others followed. 

_That was actually kind of sweet,_ Korra thought. She looked over at Asami, who had the biggest grin on her face and for a moment, Korra began to smile. But once she noticed the large hand resting on her girlfriend’s, Korra rolled her eyes and scoffed. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


As the night continued, Korra couldn’t help but think that Hiroshi wasn’t as bad as Asami depicted him as. He was attentive and mindful, intelligent and charming. He was even acting buddy-buddy with Kuvira and Mako, who he definitely disliked according to Asami’s stories. The conversations her and Asami had shared at the noodle shop paid off, too. Hiroshi looked to be approving all of her replies to the endless questions he asked about what the group wanted to do in the future.

What made Korra uncomfortable, though, was the way he side-eyed her whenever her attention was being caught by Asami’s lips. Korra just couldn’t help herself, she wanted so badly for Asami to just confess, she wanted to finally be _claimed_. But Korra knew it wasn’t the time and she had full trust in Asami that when she found the right moment to tell Hiroshi, all of their hard work from the day before would be worth it. 

After the dinner, the group dispersed and wandered around the many hallways of the mansion. Opal and Kuvira followed one of the butlers and explored the movie room, Bolin and Mako found the game room. Unfortunately for Korra, she was stuck with Hiroshi, Iroh, and Asami. 

They were now in a larger hallway, countless square-shaped picture frames were perfectly lined up all along the walls. Hiroshi pointed to one of him and his wife, who was carrying a younger Asami. The young girl in the picture had her back to the camera and her face buried in the crook of Yasuko’s neck. 

“We took this one right before Asami’s first day of kindergarten. As you can tell, she did not want to leave her mother’s side.” A sad smile was on his face. 

“I bet they were inseparable-” Korra commented, but just as she was about to continue, Iroh coughed and interrupted her. 

“Excuse me, I’m going to use the men’s room,” he gave them an innocent smile right before the kiss he placed on Asami’s forehead. Korra’s eyebrows began to knit together as she stared at the man walking away in disbelief. 

Asami reached over and grabbed ahold of Korra’s fisted hands. Immediately, she relaxed at the contact. Hiroshi stared at the two in confusion, but it was apparent that he was beginning to put two and two together. 

“Asami-”

“Dad, I have to tell you something,” Asami interrupted her father. 

Korra’s heart began to thump in her chest. It was _time_. She gulped, afraid for Asami to continue. 

“Korra and I - we’re together.”

“But Iroh-”

“It was all fake. None of it was real, dad.”

Korra squeezed Asami’s hand tighter, trying to encourage her girlfriend. She stared at Asami and felt ecstatic, as if a weight on her own shoulders had been lifted by Asami’s truth. Korra was happy for her, was excited for Asami to finally be herself, be with someone she wants without any fear. Then, that enthusiasm was quickly replaced with worry when she realized that Hiroshi hadn’t responded. She faced the man, but was unable to read his expression. 

The belting laugh startled the two nurses, even making them jump from their positions. “You’re joking, right? This is all a joke?”

Asami blinked, “N-no. Korra and I, we just started dating, and dad, I’m _happy._ ” She turned her head towards Korra and smiled, “I haven’t been this happy in a long time. I finally...feel like myself.”

The amusement from Hiroshi’s voice was gone now and in its place was a firm look of anger. It was as if a fuse had been lit and in a second, Hiroshi was going to blow. 

“D-dad? Say something, please,” Asami pleaded, letting go of her grip on Korra. Still, Korra was too afraid to speak. The wrinkles on the man’s face deepened, becoming more prominent. 

“I leave you alone for a couple of years and you think you can go behind my back and act like, like _this_ ?! No, Asami. I will _not_ accept this!” He took a step back just as Asami took a step forward towards him. 

“ _Mom_ would have, so why can’t you?” Her voice shook as it escaped her lips. 

Hiroshi’s frown intensified and his voice began to echo throughout the hallway, “Do not talk about your mother! You didn’t _know_ her, you don’t know how she would’ve reacted. _You_ don’t know what you’re talking about!” He took a step forward so that his figure was looming over the terrified Asami, “I will not let you embarrass the name I’ve made for our family! You are not my daughter!”

He raised his hand up, preparing to strike, but Korra intercepted. She grasped Hiroshi’s wrist and for the first time in the conversation, her fiery blue eyes met him. 

“What the _fuck_ do you think you’re doing? You can’t talk to Asami like that. She deserves your _respect,_ she’s your daughter! For fucksake, you’re not going to let her love who she wants to love and be who she wants to be? What kind of father _are_ you?”

Hiroshi tried to take his wrist back, but Korra’s grasp had tightened. “Let go of me! I will not let my daughter run around with some _dyke_!” He looked at her disapprovingly up and down and spat in her face. 

Korra’s blood began to boil and in an accelerated motion, she let go of the man’s arm and shoved Hiroshi with both hands. The man fell on his ass and by this time, the rest of the group had gathered back to the hallway. Eyes were now staring at them. 

Korra felt so out of breath. She unclenched her fists and turned around to grab Asami and leave, but the heiress was nowhere to be found. With one final glare, she looked down at Hiroshi.

“Just remember that _you’re_ the reason why you lost your only daughter today.” She spat on the floor next to his figure and stomped away. 

Iroh ran past her and to Hiroshi, who was still splayed on the floor, astonished by Korra’s behavior. Iroh held out a hand for him, “I’m sorry about all that sir-”

Hiroshi slapped the hand away and kept his stare at Korra’s retreating figure. 

~~~

“It’s all my fault, Asami. I should have supported you more, I should have said _something_ , _anything_ that would have resulted in a better outcome.” Korra leaned her ear against the door, hoping for Asami to respond. When she didn’t answer, Korra continued. “I know you’re blaming yourself for his words, but it wasn’t your fault. It was mine.”

After Asami disappeared, Korra had busted out of the mansion looking for her. Kuvira, Opal, Mako, and Bolin trailed behind. The Inuit found the car missing and after trying to get ahold of Asami’s phone, she finally took Kuvira’s offer to be driven home.

After promising to call Kuvira the next morning and update her on Asami, her friends had let her leave the car to go up to the condo. To her relief, Korra found the older nurse’s high-heels thrown across the floor. She heard quiet sobbing from the room and noticed that Asami had locked herself in the bathroom. Korra had called out to her several times, knocking on the door, but didn’t have any luck. Maybe Asami needed the space, but there was no way in hell Korra would leave her alone tonight. So she waited, there on the floor of the bathroom door. 

On the other side, Asami mirrored Korra’s position. Her father’s words had stung her all over again, but this hurt more than the last. She was so foolish to think that Hiroshi had changed and would finally welcome her sexuality with open arms. But no, her father had grabbed a knife and aimed it straight to her heart, tearing it apart all over again. Asami was becoming undone second by second. It hurt that the only parent she had left was so disgusted with her, had looked at her with so much disappointment. It hurt that Hiroshi had accused her of not knowing her own mother when the only thing she would see at night was the image of Yasuko in her deathbed. 

The hot tears were rolling down her cheeks now like mini waterfalls, her chest heaved up and down. The sound of Korra’s voice began pulling at her attention for a second. Asami heard Korra’s mumbling about it all being her fault. This was _her_ Korra who was so hard on herself even when she didn’t need to be, _her_ Korra who had stuck with her through all of the mess she was in, _her_ Korra who was nothing but supportive. 

Asami closed her eyes and all she pictured was the giant smile Korra had throughout the dinner. From Asami’s stolen glances, Korra’s voice would ground her back to reality whenever the nerves came back. And even now, that same voice was anchoring her down from floating away.

Even after everything, _Korra had stayed._

Asami let out a breath and got herself off the bathroom floor. She closed her eyes once more then unlocked the door. 

Korra fell in front of her. She stared up at Asami and gave her a lopsided grin, rubbing the back of her neck.

Asami couldn’t stop her heart from melting at the sight of Korra. She began to giggle at their awkward position, kneeling down so that she was back on the floor with the Inuit. Korra began laughing too and for a second, the problems of the night were gone.

When the two had caught their breaths, Korra pulled Asami into a hug. “I was so worried about you.”

“I’m sorry, I just - I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t be there anymore.”

Korra hugged her tighter, scared that if she let go, Asami would flee from her arms. “You don’t have to explain yourself, I get it.”

To her astonishment, Asami pulled away and looked into her eyes. “No, you don’t get it, Korra.

“My dad disowned me _again_ . For the second time in my life, I _lost_ him! But the feelings I have are so different from before. I’m not...sad. I’m _furious!_ The pain that I feel here-” she pointed at her chest “-is anger. I’m finally happy and he still doesn’t care!” She was choking on her words and crying out to Korra. 

Asami had tried so hard pleasing her father. All of her twenty-five years of existence was spent choosing to live up to her father’s standards over actually being _happy_. She had suppressed her own emotions and feelings for so long, and it was all for nothing! Nothing would have changed, Hiroshi would still think of her as undeserving. 

But Hiroshi’s behavior wasn’t how a parent should have acted, Asami was realizing this now. 

Yasuko had taught her at a young age that behind a young child who believed in themself was a parent who believed first. Her mother had _always_ supported her decisions, had always let her choose between the purple dress or the pink one. A parent is supposed to love their child unconditionally, is supposed to share their children’s happiness. Hiroshi hadn’t been her parent ever since her mother had passed, that much she knew now.

Korra wrapped her in another embrace and for a moment, they sat on that bathroom floor, Korra never loosening her grip. 

“Why...are you still here?” Asami’s voice was quiet, but the question never sounded accusing. “My family name will always bring trouble, Korra.” 

It took a while for Korra to respond, but as soon as she opened her mouth, the words came out with so much confidence. “Because I _want_ to be. Remember when I found you drunk at Raava’s all that time ago?” She waited for Asami to nod. Korra smiled at the distant memory. “I held you in my arms that night. I was so worried, just like I was earlier. I stayed up looking around the room and felt the same pain you were feeling. That night, I promised myself that I would _never_ let you go through life alone ever again. I’m _here_ , ‘Sami, and I’ll always be here.”

Korra caressed Asami’s cheek, wiping away her tears. Asami instantly softened at the touch, instantly felt safer. The damaging words her father had said meant nothing. That single moment only solidified her feelings for Korra, emphasizing her sudden desire to choose _herself_ , to choose Korra over her father’s mutilating hold. She had ripped herself off from the chains Hiroshi had forced on and that consuming, burning feeling was finally disappearing. 

As Asami sunk into Korra’s chest, she realized that this was where she was meant to be. As many times as she crossed out item after item on her laundry list, nothing would’ve prepared her for today. But even then, she had come to terms with that uncertainty because she trusted that Korra was always going to be there. 

They continued to sit on the floor in a comfortable silence and Asami found herself dozing off. Korra easily picked her up, walked into the bedroom, and gently laid her on the bed. The Inuit gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. 

“Asami, I...I lo-” she hesitated then let out a sigh “You mean everything to me.” She walked back to the bathroom and Asami could only guess that Korra was going to change into pajamas.

Asami’s heart raced. The move had awoken her, but she kept her eyes closed. Those three words had almost escaped her companion’s lips and a part of Asami _wanted_ to hear them - the other part wondered if she was good enough to. 

She continued to doze off, too exhausted from the events of the night to change out of the dress she had on. 

  
  


_We do our very best but sometimes, the best is just not good enough. We buckle our seatbelts, we wear a helmet, we stick to the sidewalk. We try to be safe. We try so hard to protect ourselves, the people we love, but it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference - cause when the bad things hit, they hit out of nowhere._

_The bad things come suddenly with no warning but we forget that sometimes that’s how the good things come too._

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been having writer's block for the past couple of weeks now ): i know what i want to write and how i want the chapters to go, but i can't seem to produce anything worth posting lol i hope this chapter didn't suck ass

**Author's Note:**

> This idea popped in my head out of nowhere as I was sitting for one of my patients at the hospital I work at. Got me thinking...wouldn't it be funny seeing the Krew as nurses?
> 
> Hennyyywaaay, let me know what ya'll think! <3


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